How long will it take for NYS Department of Labor unemployment claim to get approved?
I submitted my initial unemployment application through my.ny.gov about 6 days ago and I'm getting really anxious about when I'll hear back. My claim status just says 'pending' and I haven't received any determination letter yet. I lost my job at a retail store two weeks ago due to store closure, so I know I should qualify, but I'm worried something went wrong with my application. Has anyone gone through this recently? How long should I expect to wait for approval? I really need to know when benefits might start because I have rent due next week.
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Mateo Martinez
The typical processing time for a straightforward unemployment claim in NY is usually 2-3 weeks from when you file. Since you filed 6 days ago, you're still well within the normal timeframe. Your claim will go through several stages: initial review, employer verification, and final determination. Keep filing your weekly claims even while it's pending - this ensures you don't lose any benefit weeks once approved.
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Nia Wilson
•Thank you! I was worried I did something wrong. Should I be checking my.ny.gov daily or will they email me when there's an update?
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Aisha Hussain
mine took exactly 18 days last year but that was during a really busy period. if your employer doesn't contest it you'll probably hear back faster
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Ethan Clark
Store closure should be pretty straightforward since it's clearly not your fault. The NYS Department of Labor will verify with your employer but that's usually quick for business closures. Just make sure you keep filing those weekly claims! I see so many people forget to do that and then lose benefit weeks.
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StarStrider
•Wait, you have to file weekly claims before you're even approved? I thought you only started that after getting the determination letter?
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Ethan Clark
•No, you need to start filing weekly claims immediately after your initial application. The system will hold those claims until your case is approved, then release the payments retroactively.
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Yuki Sato
I had such a nightmare trying to get through to anyone at NYS Department of Labor when my claim was taking forever. Spent hours on hold just to get disconnected. Finally used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that actually got me connected to a real person who could check my claim status. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Saved me so much frustration!
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Nia Wilson
•How much does something like that cost? I'm already stressed about money.
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Yuki Sato
•It was totally worth it for the peace of mind. Way better than sitting on hold for hours with no guarantee of getting through.
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Carmen Ruiz
THE WHOLE SYSTEM IS SO SLOW! I waited almost a month and had to call like 50 times before anyone would tell me what was happening with my claim. They act like they're doing you a favor when it's YOUR money you paid into the system!
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Andre Lefebvre
Just be patient - I know it's stressful but 6 days really isn't that long in unemployment processing time. Keep an eye on your my.ny.gov account and make sure you file your weekly claims. Since it was a store closure, you shouldn't have any issues with approval.
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