How long do you have to wait for unemployment benefits to start in NY?

For most new unemployment claims in New York, you're looking at 2-3 weeks from when you file until you see your first payment, assuming there are no issues. The first week is your waiting week (you don't get paid for that), then it takes about 1-2 weeks for NYS Department of Labor to process everything if your claim is straightforward. Make sure you're filing your weekly claims every week even while waiting - you can't get paid for weeks you don't certify.

Mine took forever! Filed in early December and didn't see money until after New Years. But that was probably because of the holidays. Under normal circumstances it's usually faster.

The waiting time really depends on whether your claim goes into adjudication. If NYS Department of Labor needs to verify your employment history or investigate why you lost your job, it can take 4-6 weeks or even longer. Simple layoff cases usually process much faster. Check your online account regularly for any requests for additional information.

ugh the waiting is the worst part! I remember checking my account like 50 times a day when I first filed. The system is so slow

I had trouble getting through to NYS Department of Labor when my claim was taking too long. Ended up using this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me actually reach a real person. They have a video demo showing how it works: https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI. Was able to get my status checked and found out there was a small issue holding things up that got resolved quickly once I talked to someone.

Just keep filing your weekly claims and be patient. The money will come eventually. I know it's stressful but there's not much you can do to speed it up unless there's a specific problem.

I'm going through the same thing right now - filed my claim two weeks ago and still waiting. One thing that helped ease my anxiety was setting up direct deposit if you haven't already. That way when your payment does get approved, it'll hit your account faster than waiting for a debit card to arrive in the mail. Also, if you're really tight on bills, see if you can contact your landlord or utility companies to explain the situation - many have temporary hardship programs. The waiting is brutal but try to stay on top of those weekly certifications even if it feels pointless right now.

I went through this exact same situation a few months ago and I totally understand the anxiety! In my case, it took about 3 weeks from filing to getting my first payment. The key thing is to keep doing those weekly certifications religiously - even if you haven't heard anything back yet, you need to certify for every week you want to claim benefits for. I made the mistake of skipping one week early on thinking it didn't matter since I hadn't been approved yet, and it caused a delay later. Also, try calling the unemployment office early in the morning (like right when they open at 8am) if you need to check on anything - the phone lines are less jammed then. Hang in there, the waiting period is the hardest part but once it starts flowing it's pretty consistent.