How soon can I apply for unemployment benefits with NYS Department of Labor?

You can file your initial unemployment claim with NYS Department of Labor on or after your last day of work, not before. The system won't let you backdate to before your actual separation date. Once you file, there's typically a one-week waiting period before benefits begin, assuming your claim is approved without issues. Make sure you have your employer information, Social Security number, and employment dates ready when you apply online.

You can file your initial claim right away! NYS Department of Labor recommends filing as soon as possible after your last day of work. Don't wait - there's no benefit to delaying your application. The system will calculate your benefit year starting from when you file. Make sure you have your employment history for the last 18 months ready, including dates and wages.

i filed mine like 2 days after my last day and it was fine, the system asks for your last work date anyway so it doesnt matter when you submit as long as its not before

definitely file ASAP like the other person said. i waited like a week thinking i needed to get some paperwork together first and it was a mistake - every day you wait is basically money lost since they dont backdate to when you actually lost your job, just when you file

The one-week waiting period can be confusing for new filers. It means you won't get paid for your first eligible week, but you still need to file your weekly claim for that week to establish your claim. After that, if everything goes smoothly, payments typically come within 2-3 business days of filing each weekly claim. Just remember you need to file every week even during the waiting period.

I was in a similar situation last month and had trouble getting through to NYS Department of Labor to ask questions about my claim timing. Kept getting disconnected or stuck in phone queues for hours. Finally found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get connected to an actual agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Made the whole process so much easier when I had questions about my application.

If you're having trouble getting through to NYS Department of Labor to ask questions about timing or your specific situation, I had good luck using Claimyr to reach an actual agent. It's at claimyr.com and they have a demo video at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Saved me hours of trying to call and getting busy signals.

The NYS Department of Labor system is such a nightmare to navigate when you're already dealing with job loss stress. At least you were laid off and not fired - makes the whole adjudication process smoother. Still expect delays though, nothing moves fast with unemployment claims these days.

Just make sure you're actually eligible before filing! NYS Department of Labor will review your claim and if you quit voluntarily or were fired for misconduct, you might get disqualified. Better to have all your documentation ready about why you're unemployed - layoff notice, termination letter, whatever you have.

the waiting week thing is so dumb, like why make people wait when they already lost their job and need money RIGHT NOW