How to get unemployment in NYC - complete filing process help needed
Just lost my job at a restaurant in Brooklyn last week and I have no idea how to get unemployment in NYC. I've never filed before and I'm totally confused about the whole process. Do I apply through the city or the state? What documents do I need? How long does it take to get approved? I'm really stressed about paying rent next month and could use some guidance on where to even start with this.
11 comments
Join the conversation
Zoe Alexopoulos
You need to file through NYS Department of Labor, not the city. Go to my.ny.gov and create an account, then file your initial claim. You'll need your Social Security number, driver's license, employment history for the last 18 months including employer names and addresses, and your last pay stub. The process usually takes about 2-3 weeks for approval if there are no issues.
0 coins
Andre Lefebvre
•Thank you! Do I need to file right away or can I wait a few days? Also what counts as employment history - do I need exact dates?
0 coins
Jamal Anderson
File ASAP because there's a waiting week and your claim starts from when you file, not when you lost your job. For employment history, you need company names, addresses, phone numbers, start and end dates, and gross wages for each job in the past 18 months. If you don't have exact dates, approximate is okay but try to be as accurate as possible.
0 coins
Mei Wong
•wait what's a waiting week?? does that mean i dont get paid for the first week??
0 coins
Jamal Anderson
•Yes, there's a one-week waiting period where you don't get benefits. So if you're approved, your first payment will be for the second week after you file.
0 coins
QuantumQuasar
I went through this process last year and it was actually pretty straightforward once I figured out the my.ny.gov website. The hardest part was getting through to speak to someone when I had questions. I ended up using Claimyr (claimyr.com) to help me get connected to a NYS Department of Labor agent when my claim got stuck. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Saved me hours of trying to call.
0 coins
Andre Lefebvre
•How much does that service cost? I'm already tight on money.
0 coins
QuantumQuasar
•It's worth checking out their site for pricing, but honestly it saved me so much time and stress when I couldn't reach anyone through the regular phone lines.
0 coins
Liam McGuire
Also make sure you're eligible! You need to have worked and earned enough wages in your base period, be unemployed through no fault of your own, and be able and available for work. Since you worked at a restaurant you should be fine but just wanted to mention it.
0 coins
Amara Eze
The whole system is such a mess tbh. I filed in October and it took them 6 WEEKS to process my claim because of some stupid adjudication issue they never explained properly. Good luck dealing with their website crashes and busy phone lines!
0 coins
Giovanni Greco
•That sucks but 6 weeks is pretty unusual. Most people get approved within 2-3 weeks if everything is straightforward.
0 coins