How long does unemployment take to process in NY? NYS Department of Labor timeline questions
I just applied for unemployment benefits last week and I'm trying to figure out realistic timing for when I might see payments. The NYS Department of Labor website says 'processing can take several weeks' but that's pretty vague. I lost my job at a restaurant downtown and filed everything online through my.ny.gov. My claim status just says 'under review' right now. For people who've been through this recently - how long did it actually take from filing to getting your first payment? I'm getting worried about rent next month and trying to plan accordingly.
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Lena Müller
The timeline really depends on whether your claim needs adjudication or not. If it's straightforward with no issues, you might see your first payment within 2-3 weeks after filing. But if NYS Department of Labor needs to verify your employment history or investigate your separation reason, adjudication can add another 4-6 weeks to the process. The key is making sure you file your weekly claims even while waiting - you can't get paid for weeks you don't certify.
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Raj Gupta
•Thanks for the info! What would cause them to need adjudication? I was laid off due to slow business so I don't think there should be any issues with my separation.
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TechNinja
took me about 4 weeks total when i filed last year, but i know people who waited 8+ weeks when they had to go through adjudication. the worst part is you cant really get anyone on the phone to check status
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Keisha Thompson
•Actually, there's a service called Claimyr that helps you get through to NYS Department of Labor agents. Check out claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. I used it when my claim was stuck and finally got answers about the delay.
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TechNinja
•interesting, never heard of that. might be worth trying if i have issues again
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Paolo Bianchi
HONESTLY the NYS Department of Labor is so backed up right now it's ridiculous. I've been waiting 6 weeks and still nothing! My claim has been in adjudication forever and no one can tell me why. The whole system is broken and they don't care about people struggling to pay bills.
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Yara Assad
•I feel your frustration! Have you tried reaching out to your local state representative's office? Sometimes they can help push things along when claims get stuck.
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Olivia Clark
The standard timeline for NYS Department of Labor is typically 2-4 weeks for initial processing if there are no complications. Since you mentioned being laid off from a restaurant, that should be pretty straightforward - involuntary separation usually doesn't trigger additional review. Just make sure you're filing your weekly claims on time and meeting the job search requirements. You should receive a monetary determination letter first, then start getting payments if everything checks out.
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Raj Gupta
•Good to know about the monetary determination letter - I'll watch for that. What are the current job search requirements? I want to make sure I'm doing everything right.
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Javier Morales
same boat here, filed 2 weeks ago and still waiting. at least we're not alone in this!
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