How soon can I collect unemployment benefits after filing with NYS Department of Labor?
I got laid off from my warehouse job yesterday and I'm trying to figure out the timeline for getting unemployment payments. I know I need to file with NYS Department of Labor but I'm not sure how long the whole process takes from start to first payment. My last day was Tuesday and I already used up my emergency fund during a slow period last month. Does anyone know how soon I can actually start collecting once I submit my application? Also do I need to wait a certain period before I can even apply?
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Yuki Sato
You can file your unemployment claim immediately - there's no waiting period to apply with NYS Department of Labor. Generally takes about 2-3 weeks from filing to your first payment if everything goes smoothly. Make sure you file your weekly claims every week even while your initial claim is being processed. The sooner you file the better since benefits are backdated to when you first became eligible, not when you applied.
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Ethan Wilson
•Thanks! Should I file online or is there a better way to do it?
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Carmen Flores
File online through the NYS Department of Labor website, it's way faster than calling. But heads up - if there are any issues with your claim like questions about why you were laid off, it could go into adjudication which adds several more weeks. I'd recommend having all your employment documents ready when you file - pay stubs, termination letter, etc.
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Andre Dubois
•What if you don't have a termination letter? My boss just told me not to come back but didn't give me anything in writing.
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Carmen Flores
•That's fine, NYS Department of Labor will contact your employer directly to verify the reason for separation. Just be honest about what happened when you file.
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CyberSamurai
been there... took me almost 6 weeks to get my first payment because they had questions about my work history. the waiting is brutal when you need money for rent
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Ethan Wilson
•6 weeks?? That's scary. Did you eventually get all the back pay though?
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CyberSamurai
•yeah they paid everything retroactive to my first week of unemployment, but those 6 weeks of waiting were rough
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Zoe Alexopoulos
If you're having trouble getting through to NYS Department of Labor by phone to check on your claim status, I used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me reach an actual agent. They have a video demo showing how it works: https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI. Was super helpful when my claim got stuck and I couldn't get answers about the delay.
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Ethan Wilson
•Never heard of that before. Is it legit? I'm always suspicious of third-party services for government stuff.
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Zoe Alexopoulos
•Yeah it's real, they just help you get through the phone queues. I was skeptical too but it worked when I really needed to talk to someone at NYS Department of Labor.
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Jamal Carter
Make sure you start your job search activities right away too even before your claim is approved. NYS Department of Labor requires you to be actively looking for work and you might need to show proof of your job search activities.
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Zara Mirza
Just want to add - make sure you have your Social Security number, driver's license, and employment info for the last 18 months ready when you file online. The system will ask for details about your previous employers including dates, wages, and reason you left each job. Having this info organized beforehand will make the application process much smoother and reduce chances of delays.
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Jade O'Malley
•This is super helpful! I didn't realize they'd ask for 18 months of employment history. I've had a few different jobs in that timeframe so I better dig up all those old pay stubs and start dates. Thanks for the heads up about getting organized first - sounds like it could save a lot of headaches later.
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Yara Khoury
Just went through this process myself a few months ago. One thing I wish someone had told me - even though you can file immediately, there's a mandatory one-week waiting period before you can receive your first payment. So even if your claim gets approved quickly, you won't get paid for that first week. Also, make sure you set up direct deposit when you file - getting checks by mail can add another few days to each payment. The whole process from filing to first payment took me about 3.5 weeks, but that first payment covered weeks 2-3 of unemployment since week 1 is the waiting period.
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