How to apply for unemployment checks in NY - confused about the whole process
I just got laid off from my warehouse job last week and I have no idea how to apply for unemployment checks. My coworker said something about my.ny.gov but when I went to the website I got completely lost. There's so many different forms and I don't know which one to start with. Do I need to file immediately or can I wait a few days? Also not sure if I qualify since I was only at this job for 8 months. Any help would be appreciated because I need to start getting some income coming in ASAP.
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Jamal Anderson
You definitely want to file as soon as possible! Go to my.ny.gov and create an account if you don't have one. Look for the 'Apply for Unemployment Insurance Benefits' section. You'll need your Social Security number, driver's license, and employment history for the past 18 months including dates and wages. Since you worked 8 months you should qualify - the minimum is usually around 20 weeks of work. Don't wait because your benefit year starts from when you file, not when you lost your job.
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QuantumQuest
•Thanks! Do I need to have all my pay stubs or just remember the amounts? I might not have kept all of them.
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Mei Zhang
The application process is pretty straightforward once you get started. After you create your my.ny.gov account, the system will walk you through each step. You'll answer questions about why you're unemployed, your work history, and your availability to work. Make sure you say you're able and available to work full time. Once approved, you'll need to file weekly claims every week to actually receive payments. The first week is usually a waiting week with no payment.
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Liam McGuire
•Wait there's a waiting week? So even if I get approved I don't get paid for the first week??
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Mei Zhang
•Correct - the first week you're eligible is a waiting week. You still need to file the weekly claim but you won't get paid for that week. It's just how the system works in NY.
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Amara Eze
ugh the whole NYS Department of Labor system is such a nightmare to navigate. took me FOREVER to figure out how to even log in properly and then half the time the website crashes when you're trying to submit stuff. just be prepared for a lot of frustration
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Giovanni Ricci
•I had trouble getting through on the phone when I had questions. Kept getting disconnected after waiting on hold for like an hour. There's actually a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get through to an actual NYS Department of Labor agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Made the whole process way less stressful when I could actually talk to someone who knew what they were doing.
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NeonNomad
same boat here, just applied last month and it was confusing at first but not too bad once you get going
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