How long do you have to be unemployed to get unemployment benefits through NYS Department of Labor?

You should file your unemployment claim with NYS Department of Labor as soon as possible after losing your job - there's no waiting period required before you can apply. In fact, waiting can hurt you because there's typically a one-week waiting period before benefits start, and your claim effective date is based on when you file, not when you lost your job. You can file online through the my.ny.gov portal or by calling the claims center.

no waiting time needed just file asap!! i made the mistake of waiting 2 weeks after i got fired and lost out on those weeks of benefits. the sooner you file the better

The key thing to understand is that NYS Department of Labor has different timing requirements for different parts of the process. You can file immediately after job loss, but there's usually a one-week waiting period before your first benefit payment. Also, you need to have worked long enough in your base period to qualify - typically you need wages in at least two quarters of your base period and meet minimum wage requirements. Don't confuse filing timing with eligibility requirements.

ugh the whole system is so confusing! I waited three weeks before filing because I thought I had to look for work first and document it. turns out that was completely wrong and I could have been getting benefits that whole time. the nys department of labor really needs to make this clearer on their website

I had trouble getting through to NYS Department of Labor when I needed to check on my claim status after filing. If anyone else runs into phone issues, I found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me actually reach an agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Made the whole process much less stressful when I could actually talk to someone about my claim.

Just to add - even though you can file right away, make sure you have all your documentation ready. You'll need your Social Security number, employment history for the past 18 months, and details about how you lost your job. Having everything organized will make the application process smoother with NYS Department of Labor.

Great advice from everyone here! Just wanted to emphasize that the "file immediately" rule is super important. I learned this the hard way when I got laid off from my retail job last year. I waited almost 2 weeks because I thought I needed to have a certain number of job applications submitted first, but that's not required to file the initial claim. The job search requirements come after you start receiving benefits. NYS Department of Labor starts your benefit year from when you file, not when you lost your job, so every day you wait is potentially money left on the table. The online system at my.ny.gov is pretty straightforward once you get started.