How to sign up for unemployment benefits with NYS Department of Labor - lost my job yesterday

You'll need to file your initial claim on the NYS Department of Labor website at labor.ny.gov. Click on 'Unemployment Insurance' and then 'File a Claim.' You'll need your Social Security number, employment history for the past 18 months, and your separation reason. File as soon as possible - there's a waiting week but you want to get the process started immediately.

same thing happened to me last month, the website can be confusing at first but just take your time with each section

Make sure you have your last employer's exact business name and address. NYS Department of Labor is very picky about having the correct company information. Also, if you were laid off, that should qualify you immediately - just make sure you select 'lack of work' as your separation reason when filing.

The whole system is a nightmare honestly. I've been trying to get through to someone at NYS Department of Labor for weeks about my claim status. The phone system just hangs up on you after waiting forever. But yeah definitely file online first, that part actually works most of the time.

Don't forget you'll need to file weekly claims too once your initial application is processed. That's separate from the sign up process but equally important for actually getting paid.

yeah the weekly claims thing confused me at first, I thought filing once was enough lol