How long does it take for your unemployment to get approved through NYS Department of Labor?
I just submitted my initial unemployment claim through the NYS Department of Labor website three days ago and I'm trying to figure out when I can expect to hear back. My previous job ended last month due to company downsizing and I've been putting off filing because I thought I might find something quickly. Now I'm getting stressed about bills piling up. The my.ny.gov portal just shows my claim is 'under review' with no timeline. Does anyone know how long the approval process usually takes? I tried calling but couldn't get through to anyone at NYS Department of Labor.
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Isabella Tucker
The initial claim processing time varies but typically takes 2-3 weeks for straightforward cases. Since you were laid off due to downsizing, that should be pretty clear cut for approval. However, if there are any issues that require adjudication (like if your former employer contests the claim), it can take much longer - sometimes 6-8 weeks. Keep filing your weekly claims even while waiting for the initial decision, otherwise you'll lose those weeks of benefits.
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Emma Swift
•Thank you! I didn't realize I should be filing weekly claims already. I thought I had to wait for approval first. Should I start doing that this week?
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Jayden Hill
mine took forever!! like 5 weeks and then they said i needed to provide more documentation about my last day of work. make sure you have all your paperwork ready because they might ask for stuff later
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Emma Swift
•What kind of documentation did they ask for? I have my termination letter but not sure what else I might need.
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LordCommander
I had success getting through to someone at NYS Department of Labor by using a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com). They basically call for you and get you connected to an actual agent. I was able to check on my claim status and get answers about the timeline. There's a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Saved me hours of trying to call myself and getting busy signals.
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Lucy Lam
•Never heard of that before. Does it actually work or is it just another scam? I've been burned by too many 'services' that promise to help with government stuff.
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LordCommander
•It's legitimate - they don't ask for your personal info or login details. They just call the NYS Department of Labor number for you and patch you through when they get a human on the line. Worked for me when I was stuck in adjudication.
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Aidan Hudson
The whole system is a joke honestly. I've been waiting 4 weeks now and my claim is still in adjudication because my employer is being difficult about the reason I left. Even though I have emails proving they laid me off! NYS Department of Labor moves at a snail's pace and doesn't care that people have bills to pay. Meanwhile my savings are almost gone.
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Zoe Wang
•That's so frustrating! Have you tried appealing or providing additional documentation to speed things up?
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Connor Richards
just keep checking your account every day and make sure you do the weekly certifications. also start looking for work right away because they have job search requirements now
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Diego Mendoza
I'm in a similar situation - filed my claim about 2 weeks ago after being laid off and still waiting to hear back. One thing that helped me was creating a folder with all my employment documents organized (last paystub, termination letter, any severance info) so I'm ready if they ask for more proof. Also downloaded the NYS Department of Labor mobile app which seems to update faster than the website sometimes. The waiting is definitely stressful when bills are due! Hang in there Emma, hopefully we both hear something soon.
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Atticus Domingo
•That's a great tip about organizing all the documents ahead of time! I wish I had thought of that before submitting my claim. I'm going to gather everything now just in case they ask for more info later. Good luck with your claim too Diego - hopefully the 2-3 week timeframe Isabella mentioned is accurate for both of us!
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Collins Angel
I went through this process about 6 months ago and it took exactly 3 weeks for my initial approval. One thing that really helped speed things up was making sure I had uploaded a clear copy of my termination letter and last paystub when I first filed - I think having complete documentation from the start prevented any delays. Also, Isabella is absolutely right about filing your weekly certifications immediately! I made the mistake of waiting and lost my first week of benefits. The good news is that once you're approved, the payments usually start flowing pretty quickly. Since you were downsized rather than fired for cause, your case should be pretty straightforward. Hang in there!
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Dylan Mitchell
•Thanks Collins, that's really reassuring to hear from someone who went through the same process recently! I'm definitely going to make sure I have all my documentation ready. Quick question - did you upload everything through the my.ny.gov portal or did they have a separate document submission process? I want to make sure I'm doing this the most efficient way possible since I'm already 3 days in.
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