How to deal with unemployment - NYS Department of Labor claim process completely overwhelming
Lost my job two weeks ago and I'm drowning trying to figure out how to deal with unemployment benefits through NYS Department of Labor. The my.ny.gov website is confusing and I keep getting conflicting information about what I need to do. I filed my initial claim but now I'm supposed to do something called weekly claims? And they want me to keep a job search log? I've never been unemployed before and honestly don't know where to start with any of this. The phone lines are always busy when I try to call for help. Can someone please explain the basic steps for how to deal with unemployment properly so I don't mess this up?
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CosmicCrusader
I understand how overwhelming it feels at first! Here's the basic process for dealing with unemployment through NYS Department of Labor: 1) File your initial claim (sounds like you did this), 2) File weekly claims every week to certify you're still unemployed, 3) Keep a detailed job search log with at least 3 contacts per week, 4) Register with the job center if required. The weekly claims are crucial - you have to do them every week even if your claim is still pending adjudication. Don't skip any weeks or you could lose benefits for those periods.
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Omar Zaki
•Thank you! Do I need to wait for approval before I start the weekly claims or should I be doing them now?
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Chloe Robinson
Start your weekly claims immediately, don't wait. Log into my.ny.gov every Sunday after 6pm to file for the previous week. For the job search requirement, you need to make 3 verifiable job contacts each week and record them in your log. This means actual applications, not just browsing job sites. Keep documentation like screenshots of applications or contact emails.
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Diego Flores
•This is so helpful. I was wondering about the 3 job contacts too - does LinkedIn count as one of the contacts?
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Anastasia Kozlov
ugh the whole system is such a nightmare! I've been trying to get through to NYS Department of Labor for WEEKS about my claim and it's impossible. They put you on hold forever then hang up on you. The website crashes half the time too. How are we supposed to deal with unemployment when they make it this hard to get basic information??
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Sean Flanagan
I had the same frustration with reaching NYS Department of Labor by phone until someone told me about claimyr.com. They actually get you through to a real agent - I watched their demo video at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI and decided to try it. Got connected within an hour and finally got answers about my pending adjudication. Way better than sitting on hold all day.
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Omar Zaki
•Really? That actually works? I'm so tired of calling and getting nowhere.
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Anastasia Kozlov
•Hmm I'm skeptical but might be worth a shot if it really works
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Zara Mirza
same boat here, just filed last week and already confused about everything lol
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NebulaNinja
The key thing about dealing with unemployment is staying on top of all the requirements. Miss your weekly claim deadline and you're screwed for that week. Don't do enough job searches and they'll cut your benefits. The system doesn't give you much room for error so document everything and never assume anything will be automatic.
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Omar Zaki
•Good point about documentation. Should I be saving copies of my weekly claim confirmations too?
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