How long do you have to claim unemployment benefits after becoming eligible?
I just got laid off from my job at a retail store last Friday and I'm trying to figure out the timing for filing my unemployment claim. I keep hearing different things about deadlines - some people say you have to file immediately, others say you have a few weeks. What's the actual time limit for claiming unemployment benefits in New York? I don't want to miss any deadlines and lose out on benefits I'm entitled to. Also, if I wait a week or two to file, will I lose those weeks of benefits permanently?
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Rajiv Kumar
You should file as soon as possible after your last day of work. In New York, there's no specific deadline to file your initial claim, but you can only receive benefits for weeks that you actually file for. If you wait two weeks to file, you'll lose those first two weeks of benefits permanently. The NYS Department of Labor processes claims based on when you file, not when you became unemployed.
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Isabella Russo
•Thanks! So I should file this week even though I just lost my job? I wasn't sure if there was a waiting period or something.
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Aria Washington
File immediately! I made the mistake of waiting three weeks thinking I'd find another job quickly. Lost out on almost $1,200 in benefits that I could never get back. The NYS Department of Labor website lets you file your claim online 24/7, so there's really no excuse to wait. Even if you find a job next week, you'll still get paid for the weeks you were unemployed and filed claims.
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Liam O'Reilly
•This happened to my brother too. He waited because he thought it was too much paperwork but ended up regretting it big time.
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Chloe Delgado
I think you have up to a year to file but im not 100% sure?? My cousin filed like 6 months after she got fired and still got benefits but maybe that was different circumstances
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Rajiv Kumar
•You're thinking of the benefit year - once you establish a claim, you have 52 weeks to use your benefits. But you still need to file weekly claims during the weeks you're unemployed to actually receive payments.
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Ava Harris
The whole system is ridiculous honestly. They make it so confusing with all these deadlines and requirements. You'd think they'd want to make it easier for people who just lost their jobs, but instead they create all these hoops to jump through. I spent weeks trying to get through to someone at NYS Department of Labor when I had questions about my timing.
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Aria Washington
•I had the same problem with getting through by phone! If you're still having trouble reaching them, I actually found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get connected to an actual agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Saved me hours of trying to call.
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Jacob Lee
Just to add - make sure you have all your employment information ready when you file. The NYS Department of Labor will need your last employer's details, your wages for the past 18 months, and the reason for separation. Having everything organized will make the process much smoother.
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Aisha Abdullah
As someone who recently went through this process, I can confirm what others have said - file immediately! There's no grace period in NY. I filed my claim the Monday after my last day of work and was able to get benefits for that first week. The online system at labor.ny.gov is actually pretty straightforward once you get started. One thing I wish I had known is that you can file your initial claim even if you don't have all your previous employer information perfectly organized - you can always update details later, but you can't go back and claim weeks you missed filing for.
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Harper Collins
•This is really helpful advice! I'm in a similar situation and was hesitating about filing because I thought I needed to gather all my paperwork first. Good to know I can start the process and update information later. Did you face any issues with the initial filing, or was it pretty smooth once you got started?
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