How to request weekly unemployment benefits - NYS Department of Labor process
I just got approved for unemployment after waiting 6 weeks for adjudication and now I'm confused about how to actually request my weekly benefits. The NYS Department of Labor website isn't super clear about the steps. Do I need to file every week even if I haven't worked? And when exactly do I need to submit it by? I see something about certifying but I'm not sure what that means. Any help would be appreciated!
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Michael Green
Yes, you need to file your weekly claim every single week that you want benefits, even if you didn't work at all that week. You'll log into your my.ny.gov account and look for the 'UI Online Services' section. The weekly claim asks about any work you did, income you earned, and if you were able and available for work. You have to certify (basically swear) that your answers are true.
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Hannah White
•Thanks! So I file this every week or just when I work? And what counts as being 'available for work'?
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Mateo Silva
You file EVERY week, regardless of whether you worked or not. The weekly claim is due by midnight on Sunday for the previous week. So if you're claiming benefits for the week ending Sunday, you have until the following Sunday at midnight to file it. Missing the deadline means you forfeit that week's benefits. Being available for work means you're ready, willing, and able to accept suitable employment and actively looking for work.
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Victoria Jones
•Wait, what if I'm sick one day during the week? Do I still mark that I was available for work?
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Mateo Silva
•If you were sick for part of the week but still able to work the other days, you'd generally answer yes to being available. If you were completely unable to work the entire week due to illness, you'd answer no and provide details.
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Cameron Black
I've been filing mine every week for 3 months now and it's pretty straightforward once you get the hang of it. The key thing is to be completely honest about any work or income. Even if you made just $20 from a side gig, report it. NYS Department of Labor will find out eventually and overpayments are a nightmare to deal with.
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Hannah White
•Good to know about reporting everything. What happens if I forget to file one week?
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Cameron Black
•You lose that week's benefits permanently. There's no make-up filing for missed weeks unless you have a really good excuse that NYS Department of Labor accepts.
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Jessica Nguyen
honestly the whole weekly claim thing is so confusing at first!! i missed my first week because i didnt know when to file it. make sure you set a reminder on your phone or something. also keep track of your job search activities because they ask about that too
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Isaiah Thompson
•I had trouble reaching NYS Department of Labor when I had questions about my weekly claims. Kept getting busy signals and their chat was always full. I ended up using Claimyr to get through to an actual agent - there's a demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. They helped me get connected and I was able to clarify the weekly filing requirements. Check out claimyr.com if you're having trouble getting through to someone.
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Ruby Garcia
Just to add - make sure you understand the work search requirements too. You need to be actively looking for work and keep a log of your job search activities. The weekly claim will ask about this and you might get audited later to prove you were actually searching.
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