How long does NYS Department of Labor unemployment process take from start to finish?
I just lost my job last week after working at a restaurant for 2 years and I'm trying to figure out the timeline for getting unemployment benefits. I know I need to file with NYS Department of Labor but I'm confused about how long the whole process actually takes. From filing my initial claim to getting my first payment, what should I expect? Also do I need to do anything special while I'm waiting or just file the weekly claims? I've never been unemployed before so this is all new to me. Any help would be appreciated!
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Teresa Boyd
The NYS Department of Labor unemployment process typically takes 2-3 weeks from filing your initial claim to receiving your first payment, assuming there are no complications. Here's the basic timeline: 1) File your initial claim online immediately, 2) Wait for your monetary determination letter (usually 5-7 business days), 3) Start filing weekly claims the week after you file your initial claim, 4) First payment usually comes 2-3 weeks after your initial filing. Make sure you file your weekly claims every week even if your claim is still processing - you can't get paid for weeks you don't claim.
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Landon Morgan
•Thank you! So I should start filing weekly claims right away even if I haven't heard back about my initial claim being approved?
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Lourdes Fox
Just went through this myself. It took exactly 3 weeks for me to get my first payment but that was pretty smooth. The key thing is don't wait - file your initial claim ASAP because you can't get benefits for the week you lost your job, only starting the week after you file. And yes definitely file your weekly claims starting the first Sunday after you file your initial claim.
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Bruno Simmons
Be prepared for it to take longer if there are any issues with your claim. Mine went into adjudication because I had some part-time work before getting laid off and it took 6 weeks total. NYS Department of Labor has to verify your employment history and sometimes that causes delays. The frustrating part is you can't really get through to anyone on the phone to check the status.
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Aileen Rodriguez
•If you're having trouble reaching NYS Department of Labor by phone, I recently found out about this service called Claimyr at claimyr.com that helps you get through to an actual agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. It was super helpful when my claim got stuck in adjudication and I needed to talk to someone.
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Zane Gray
wait so if I file today I can't get paid for this week?? that seems really unfair, I already lost a week of income from being unemployed
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Teresa Boyd
•Unfortunately that's correct - there's a one week waiting period built into the system. You can't receive benefits for the week you lose your job, only starting the week after you file your claim. It is frustrating but that's how NYS Department of Labor unemployment works.
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Maggie Martinez
The whole system is ridiculous if you ask me. Three weeks without income when you just lost your job? And good luck actually reaching anyone at NYS Department of Labor if something goes wrong. I've been calling for two weeks straight and either get busy signals or get disconnected after waiting on hold for an hour. They really need to fix this broken system.
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Alejandro Castro
same here, filed 2 weeks ago and still waiting... at least the weekly claims are easy to do online
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Sergio Neal
I'm also navigating this for the first time and it's definitely overwhelming! From what I've gathered from everyone's experiences here, it sounds like the 2-3 week timeline is pretty standard if everything goes smoothly. One thing that's been helpful for me is keeping detailed records of everything - screenshots of when I filed, copies of all the forms, dates of weekly certifications, etc. That way if there are any issues or delays, I have documentation. Also, I've been treating the job search requirement seriously from day one even though the payments haven't started yet. Better to stay on top of it than scramble later. Hang in there - we're all figuring this out together!
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