How many days do I have to file for unemployment after losing my job in NY?
Just got laid off yesterday from my warehouse job and I'm stressed about filing my claim correctly. I know there's some kind of deadline but I can't find clear info on the NYS Department of Labor website about how many days I have to file. My supervisor said I should do it right away but my coworker told me I have like 30 days or something? I don't want to mess this up and lose benefits. Can someone explain the actual timeline for filing in New York?
10 comments


Logan Scott
You should file as soon as possible! While there isn't technically a hard deadline like 7 or 30 days, NYS Department of Labor only pays benefits from the week you actually file your claim, not from when you lost your job. So if you wait 2 weeks to file, you'll lose those 2 weeks of benefits forever. The best practice is to file within the first week of unemployment.
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Mila Walker
•Oh wow I didn't realize that! So if I file today I won't lose yesterday's eligibility? Should I file online or call?
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Chloe Green
File online at my.ny.gov ASAP. I made the mistake of waiting 10 days when I got fired last year and lost $1,800 in benefits. The system is pretty straightforward - just have your employer info, Social Security card, and bank details ready. Takes about 20 minutes.
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Lucas Adams
•Same thing happened to me! Lost almost $2,000 because I thought I had a month to file. The NYS Department of Labor really should make this clearer on their website.
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Harper Hill
honestly the whole system is confusing... I've been trying to get through to someone at NYS Department of Labor for weeks about my adjudication issue and can never reach anyone. the phone lines are always busy and they never respond to messages. so frustrating when you need help
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Caden Nguyen
•I had the same problem reaching NYS Department of Labor agents until I found this service called Claimyr at claimyr.com. They basically get you through to an actual person at the unemployment office without waiting on hold forever. There's a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Saved me hours of trying to call myself.
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Avery Flores
Wait I'm confused now... I thought you had to wait until your last day of work to file? And what if your employer gave you severance pay - does that affect when you can file? This is all so overwhelming and I'm worried I'll do something wrong.
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Logan Scott
•You can file the day after your last day of work. Severance pay might affect your benefit amount but it won't prevent you from filing - just report it honestly when you file your claim. The NYS Department of Labor will determine how it impacts your benefits.
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Zoe Gonzalez
yep file immediately, learned this the hard way
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Connor O'Brien
Don't stress too much about the exact timeline - the key thing everyone here is saying is right: file ASAP! I just went through this process last month after getting laid off from my retail job. The online system at my.ny.gov is actually pretty user-friendly once you get started. Just make sure you have all your documents ready (Social Security card, ID, last employer's info, bank account details for direct deposit). The whole application took me about 25 minutes. And yes, you can file the day after your last day of work - don't wait! Every day you delay is money you're potentially losing since benefits start from when you file, not when you lost your job.
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