How long will it take to get unemployment benefits from NYS Department of Labor?

For most straightforward cases, you should expect to receive your first payment within 2-3 weeks after filing your initial claim, assuming everything is processed without issues. However, this timeline can extend significantly if your claim goes into adjudication - which happens when NYS Department of Labor needs to verify information about your separation from employment or eligibility. Make sure you're filing your weekly claims even while waiting for approval, as you can only be paid for weeks you've certified.

mine took 6 weeks because they had to investigate why i left my last job... apparently my employer said i quit but i was actually laid off due to budget cuts. the adjudication process is what kills the timeline

The timeline depends on whether your claim needs adjudication or not. If everything is straightforward and you have no issues, you could see your first payment within 7-10 days after filing your first weekly claim. However, if NYS Department of Labor needs to verify anything about your employment or separation, it goes into adjudication which can take 2-6 weeks.

i got mine in like 5 days but that was back in 2023. my friend just applied last month and hers took 3 weeks because they had to verify her wages or something

Store closings are usually straightforward, but sometimes NYS Department of Labor still needs to verify your wages with your employer. The key is to file your weekly claims every week even while waiting for approval. You can't get paid for weeks you don't claim, even if approved later.

You should be able to file weekly claims right away through my.ny.gov. Don't wait for approval or you'll lose those weeks. The system will hold the payments until your claim is processed, but you need to establish those claim weeks. Log into your account and look for the weekly claim option.

If you're having trouble getting through to NYS Department of Labor to check on your claim status, I had success using a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com). They help you get connected to an actual agent without waiting on hold for hours. There's a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Really helped when I was stuck in adjudication for weeks with no updates.

The biggest factor is whether your claim needs adjudication or not. If you were laid off for clear economic reasons and have no employment disputes, you'll likely get approved within the standard 2-3 week timeframe. If there's any question about your separation (fired for cause, quit, reduced hours), it goes to adjudication which can add 4-8 weeks to the process. During adjudication, NYS Department of Labor contacts both you and your former employer to gather information.

The whole system is so slow and frustrating! I applied 3 weeks ago and still haven't seen a penny. They keep saying 'adjudication in progress' but won't tell me what they're even looking at. Meanwhile I'm behind on everything.

TOOK ME 3 MONTHS!!! NYS Department of Labor is a nightmare to deal with. They kept asking for more documentation and every time I submitted something new they'd find another reason to delay. The whole system is designed to discourage people from claiming benefits they're entitled to.

To give you the most accurate timeline: Week 1 is when you file your initial claim. Week 2-3 is typical processing time if no issues arise. If adjudication is needed, add 4-8 additional weeks. The key is to keep filing your weekly claims throughout this entire period and respond immediately to any requests for additional information from NYS Department of Labor. Most delays happen because people don't respond quickly to documentation requests.

Just went through this process myself last month after being laid off from my restaurant job. Filed on a Monday and got my first payment exactly 14 days later - no adjudication needed since it was clearly a layoff due to slow business. The key things that helped me: 1) Filed my first weekly claim the Sunday after submitting my initial application, 2) Made sure all my employer info was accurate, and 3) responded to their wage verification request within 24 hours. If you were laid off due to store closing like you mentioned, that's usually one of the clearest cases for approval. Just stay on top of filing weekly and checking your account!

I'm in a similar boat - just filed my claim three days ago after my company had massive layoffs. Reading through everyone's experiences here is both reassuring and nerve-wracking! It sounds like the timeline really depends on whether your case is straightforward or needs investigation. For what it's worth, I called the 888 number yesterday and surprisingly got through after about 45 minutes on hold. The agent confirmed that retail/store closures typically don't require adjudication since the reason for separation is clear. She also emphasized what others have said here - keep filing those weekly claims even while waiting for initial approval. I set a Sunday reminder on my phone so I don't forget. Fingers crossed we both get approved quickly!

I went through this exact process about 6 months ago when my retail store closed down unexpectedly. Since you mentioned you were laid off due to store closing, that's actually one of the best-case scenarios for quick approval - there's no ambiguity about why you're unemployed. I got my first payment in 12 days, but here's what I learned: 1) File your weekly claims immediately (I made the mistake of waiting and lost my first week), 2) Upload any separation documents you have right away through the portal, and 3) Check your my.ny.gov account daily for messages. The system will show "pending" for a while which is normal. Given that rent is due in 2 weeks, you might also want to reach out to your landlord to explain the situation - many are understanding about unemployment delays. Also check if your local area has any emergency rental assistance programs while you wait. Hang in there, the waiting is the hardest part but store closures usually process pretty smoothly!