How long does it take for unemployment benefits to be approved by NYS Department of Labor?
I just filed my initial unemployment claim last week and I'm wondering what the typical timeline is for approval. My online account shows 'claim under review' but doesn't give any timeframe. I've been laid off from my retail job and really need to know when I might see my first payment. Has anyone gone through this recently? How long did it take from filing to getting your first unemployment check?
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Noah Irving
The standard processing time for NYS Department of Labor is usually 2-3 weeks for straightforward claims. However, if your claim requires adjudication (like if there's a question about why you left your job), it can take 4-6 weeks or longer. Keep filing your weekly claims even while it's pending - you'll get back pay if approved.
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Katherine Ziminski
•Thanks! I was laid off due to store closure so hopefully that's straightforward. I'll keep doing the weekly claims.
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Vanessa Chang
mine took forever! like 5 weeks and i had to call them multiple times. the whole system is so slow
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Madison King
If you're having trouble reaching someone at NYS Department of Labor to check on your claim status, I found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get through to an actual agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Saved me hours of calling and getting busy signals.
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Julian Paolo
•Is that legit? I've been trying to call for days with no luck. The hold times are insane.
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Madison King
•Yeah it's real, they basically handle the calling for you and get you connected to an actual person. Way better than sitting on hold for hours.
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Ella Knight
The whole NYS Department of Labor system is a JOKE. They take forever to process anything and when you finally get someone on the phone they act like they're doing you a favor. I waited 7 weeks for my claim to get approved and that was BEFORE any complications!
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William Schwarz
•I feel you on this. The system definitely needs improvement but hang in there.
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Lauren Johnson
Just went through this myself. Filed in early December and got my first payment January 3rd, so about 3 weeks total. Make sure you have all your employment info ready and double-check everything on your application. Any mistakes can cause delays.
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