How long does filing for unemployment take with NYS Department of Labor online?
I got laid off yesterday and need to file for unemployment benefits but I'm worried about how long the application process takes. I have rent due next week and bills piling up. Does anyone know how long it actually takes to complete the initial filing on the NYS Department of Labor website? I heard it can be really confusing and take hours. Also wondering how long after filing before I can expect my first payment if approved?
9 comments
Join the conversation
Avery Saint
The initial filing usually takes about 30-45 minutes if you have all your documents ready. You'll need your Social Security number, driver's license, employment history for the last 18 months including employer addresses and dates, and your most recent pay stub. The NYS Department of Labor website walks you through each step but it can be slow during peak times.
0 coins
Ryan Vasquez
•Thanks! Do I need to know my exact start and end dates for every job or just approximate?
0 coins
Taylor Chen
took me like 2 hours but i kept getting kicked out of the system and had to start over, super frustrating
0 coins
Keith Davidson
Make sure you file during off-peak hours if possible - early morning or late evening. The system gets overloaded during lunch hours and right after 5pm when everyone gets home from work. Also save your progress frequently because the session can timeout.
0 coins
Ezra Bates
•OMG yes this happened to me! Lost everything twice before I learned to save every few minutes. So annoying.
0 coins
Ana Erdoğan
If you're having trouble getting through to the NYS Department of Labor by phone to check on your application status, I used a 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 showing how it works. Was really helpful when my claim got stuck in adjudication and I couldn't reach anyone for weeks.
0 coins
Sophia Carson
•Never heard of that but might be worth checking out, the phone system is basically impossible
0 coins
Elijah Knight
Just to set expectations - filing the initial claim is just the first step. It can take 2-3 weeks before you get your first payment even if everything goes smoothly. If there are any issues with your employment history or reason for separation, it could go into adjudication which adds more time.
0 coins
Ryan Vasquez
•What kinds of issues cause adjudication? I was laid off due to company downsizing so hopefully that's straightforward.
0 coins