How quickly does unemployment kick in after filing with NYS Department of Labor?
Just submitted my initial claim through my.ny.gov yesterday after getting laid off from my warehouse job. I'm really stressed about how long this whole process takes because I need to start getting payments ASAP to cover rent. Does anyone know how quickly unemployment benefits actually kick in once you file? I keep reading different things online about waiting periods and adjudication. My claim status just says 'under review' right now. Should I expect to wait weeks or is it usually faster than that?
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Sean Murphy
Generally speaking, if your claim is straightforward with no issues, you should see your first payment within 2-3 weeks after filing. However, there's always a one-week waiting period before benefits begin, and you need to complete your weekly claim certification every week to receive payments. The 'under review' status is normal for new claims.
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Anastasia Popov
•Thanks! So even if everything goes smoothly, I won't see money for at least 2 weeks? That's going to be tight but I guess manageable.
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Zara Khan
mine took almost a month because they had to verify my employment history with my previous employer. if your employer doesn't respond to NYS Department of Labor quickly it can delay everything
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Anastasia Popov
•Oh no, my company just went through layoffs so their HR department is probably swamped. Should I call them to make sure they respond?
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Luca Ferrari
•You can try calling your former employer, but honestly they're required to respond to NYS Department of Labor within a certain timeframe anyway. If they don't, the department will usually approve your claim based on the information you provided.
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Nia Davis
ugh the waiting is the worst part!! I was in the same boat last year and kept obsessing over my claim status every day. just try to file your weekly claims on time even if you haven't been approved yet, it keeps everything moving
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Mateo Martinez
If you're having trouble getting through to NYS Department of Labor to check on your claim status, I used a service called Claimyr that helped me get connected to an actual agent. They have this system where they call for you and get you through the phone queue - saved me hours of being on hold. Check out claimyr.com and there's a demo video at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Might be worth it if you need to speak to someone about your claim.
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Anastasia Popov
•Interesting, I didn't know services like that existed. Have you used it recently? The phone lines are definitely impossible to get through.
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Mateo Martinez
•Yeah I used it about 3 months ago when my claim got stuck in adjudication. Worked pretty well, got me connected to an agent the same day instead of calling for weeks trying to get through myself.
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QuantumQueen
The whole system is so slow it's ridiculous. They expect people to survive with no income while they take their sweet time processing paperwork. I waited 5 weeks for my first payment because of some stupid verification issue.
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Aisha Rahman
•Same here, it's like they don't understand people have bills to pay
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Isabel Vega
•@Anastasia Popov - I feel your stress about the timing! While waiting for your unemployment to process, you might want to look into emergency assistance programs in your area. Many local organizations and churches offer temporary help with rent/utilities while people wait for benefits to kick in. Also check if your county has any emergency rental assistance programs - they can sometimes provide a bridge payment while you re'waiting for unemployment. It s'not ideal but it might help ease some of the immediate pressure.
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