Is there a deadline to apply for unemployment benefits in NY?
I got laid off from my retail job about 6 weeks ago and have been putting off filing for unemployment because the whole process seemed overwhelming. Now I'm wondering if I waited too long - is there a deadline to apply for unemployment benefits? I keep seeing conflicting information online and I'm worried I might have missed my window. Can I still file or am I out of luck at this point?
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Ava Harris
You can still file! In New York, you generally have up to one year from when you became unemployed to file your initial claim. However, you should file as soon as possible because you can't get benefits for weeks before you actually file your claim - there's no retroactive payments for delays in filing.
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Chloe Delgado
•Oh thank goodness! So I won't get paid for the 6 weeks I already missed, but I can still start getting benefits going forward?
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Jacob Lee
Yeah file ASAP because each week you wait is money you're losing. The NYS Department of Labor doesn't backdate claims to your separation date - your benefit year starts when you actually submit the application. I learned this the hard way when I waited 3 weeks to file last year.
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Emily Thompson
•This is so important! I see people all the time who think they can file whenever and get all their back pay. Doesn't work that way unfortunately.
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Sophie Hernandez
wait what?? i thought you had like 30 days or something to file? are you sure about the one year thing because that seems like a really long time
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Ava Harris
•Yes, I'm sure about the one year deadline. But again, you only get benefits from the week you file forward, not backwards to when you lost your job. The one year is just the absolute deadline to start a claim.
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Daniela Rossi
I had trouble getting through to NYS Department of Labor when I was trying to file my claim because their phone lines are always busy. If you're having the same issue, I found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get connected to an actual agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Made the whole process so much easier than trying to call over and over.
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Chloe Delgado
•Thanks for the tip! I was dreading having to call because I heard the wait times are terrible.
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Ryan Kim
File online if you can, it's way faster than calling. Just go to the my.ny.gov website and look for the unemployment section. The application is pretty straightforward once you get started.
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Rhett Bowman
Just to add some clarity here - while you do have up to one year to file your initial claim in NY, there are some important things to keep in mind. If you're eligible for benefits, you'll typically receive payments for up to 26 weeks (though this can vary based on economic conditions). The key thing is that your benefit year starts when you file, not when you lost your job. So if you wait 6 weeks to file like you did, you're essentially losing 6 weeks of potential benefits. Also make sure you have all your employment information ready when you file - previous employer details, dates of employment, reason for separation, etc. The process isn't as overwhelming as it seems once you get started!
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Olivia Garcia
•This is really helpful information! I had no idea about the 26 week limit or that I needed to have all my employment details ready. Do you happen to know if there are any other documents I should gather before filing? I want to make sure I have everything so I don't run into delays once I start the application.
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Connor Murphy
•@c5a6d39b498e @f29351457e93 You'll want to have your Social Security number, driver's license or state ID, and bank account info for direct deposit. Also gather any paperwork from your employer about your termination - like a separation notice or final pay stub. If you were in a union, have that info ready too. Having your work history for the past 18 months with dates and wages will speed things up. Don't stress too much about having every single detail perfect - you can usually provide additional documentation later if needed!
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Alejandro Castro
I'm in a similar situation - got laid off about 4 weeks ago and have been procrastinating on filing. Reading all these responses is really motivating me to just bite the bullet and do it this week! It sounds like the online application through my.ny.gov is the way to go. Quick question though - when you file, do you need to already be actively job searching or can you start looking after you submit your claim? I've been doing some casual browsing but haven't really ramped up my search yet.
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