How long does it take unemployment to be approved in NY?
I submitted my unemployment application through the NYS Department of Labor website about 10 days ago and I'm still waiting to hear back. My status just says 'under review' and I haven't received any correspondence yet. I'm getting really anxious because I need to know if I'll be getting benefits soon to cover my bills. Does anyone know how long the approval process typically takes? I lost my job due to layoffs at a manufacturing company where I worked for 2 years.
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Ethan Clark
The NYS Department of Labor usually takes 2-4 weeks to process initial claims, but it can vary depending on their workload and if your claim needs adjudication. Since you were laid off, that's typically straightforward and shouldn't require much additional review. Make sure you're filing your weekly claims even while waiting for the initial determination.
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Aisha Mahmood
•Thanks! I didn't realize I should be filing weekly claims already. I thought I had to wait for approval first. I'll start doing that right away.
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AstroAce
took me 3 weeks when i applied last year but my friend got approved in like 10 days so its really random
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Yuki Kobayashi
Manufacturing layoffs are usually processed pretty quickly since there's no question about eligibility. The 10 days you've waited so far is actually normal. If you don't hear anything by the 3-week mark, you might want to call the NYS Department of Labor, though getting through can be challenging with their high call volume.
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Carmen Vega
•Getting through to NYS Department of Labor by phone is nearly impossible these days. I tried calling for weeks about my claim status and either got busy signals or got disconnected after waiting on hold for hours. I ended up using this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that connects you directly to unemployment agents. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. It was so much easier than trying to call myself.
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Aisha Mahmood
•That sounds really helpful! I was dreading having to call if I don't hear back soon. Did it actually work for you?
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Carmen Vega
•Yes, I got connected to an agent within a few hours and got my claim status sorted out. Much better than the phone maze.
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Andre Rousseau
UGH the waiting is the WORST part! I was laid off from my retail job in December and it took almost a MONTH for my claim to get approved. The NYS Department of Labor needs to hire more people to process these claims faster. People are struggling and can't wait weeks for an answer!
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Zoe Stavros
•I totally understand the frustration but at least you got approved eventually. Some people have much more complicated situations that take longer.
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Jamal Harris
Just wanted to add that if your claim does go into adjudication for any reason, that can add several more weeks to the process. But for a straightforward layoff like yours, you should be fine. The key is to keep filing those weekly certifications and be patient.
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