Is there a waiting week for unemployment in New York 2025 - confused about new claim
I just filed my first unemployment claim with NYS Department of Labor last week and I'm really confused about whether there's still a waiting week or not. I've been reading different things online and can't figure out what's current for 2025. My claim status shows 'pending' but I don't know if that's normal or if I'm supposed to wait a week before getting paid. I worked at a restaurant for 2 years before getting laid off due to slow business. Can someone explain how this works now? I really need to know when to expect my first payment because rent is due soon.
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Nia Jackson
Good news - New York eliminated the waiting week requirement back in 2020 and it's still gone in 2025. You should be eligible for payment starting with your first week of unemployment as long as your claim is approved. The 'pending' status you're seeing is likely just the normal adjudication process where NYS Department of Labor verifies your eligibility and employment history.
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Luca Romano
•Oh that's such a relief! Do you know how long the adjudication usually takes? I'm getting worried about the pending status.
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Mateo Hernandez
yeah no waiting week anymore thank god. mine took like 2 weeks to get approved though so dont panic if it stays pending for a bit
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CosmicCruiser
The adjudication process can vary but typically takes 1-3 weeks for straightforward cases. Since you mentioned you were laid off due to slow business, that should be pretty clear-cut for a voluntary separation. Make sure you're filing your weekly claims even while it's pending - that's important for getting backpay once approved. You can do this through the my.ny.gov portal.
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Luca Romano
•Wait, I should file weekly claims even while it's pending? I didn't know that. I haven't filed one yet since my claim is still pending.
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CosmicCruiser
•Yes, definitely file your weekly claims! If you don't file them during the pending period, you could lose those weeks of benefits even after approval. Log into my.ny.gov and file for any weeks you've been unemployed since filing your initial claim.
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Aisha Khan
I had the WORST time trying to get through to NYS Department of Labor when my claim was stuck in adjudication for almost a month. The phone system is absolutely useless - you either get disconnected or sit on hold forever. I finally found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that actually got me connected to a real person at NYS Department of Labor within like 10 minutes. They have a demo video at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Saved me so much stress trying to figure out what was wrong with my claim.
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Ethan Taylor
•How much does something like that cost though? I'm already broke from being unemployed.
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Aisha Khan
•It was totally worth it for me since I was about to lose my apartment. Way better than spending hours every day trying to call and getting nowhere.
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Yuki Ito
The whole system is so confusing honestly. I remember when there used to be a waiting week and everyone complained about it, now they got rid of it but half the time your claim gets stuck in limbo anyway so you're still waiting! At least when there was a waiting week you knew what to expect.
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Mateo Hernandez
Just keep filing your weekly claims like everyone said. That's the most important thing. I missed filing for 2 weeks when mine was pending and had to fight to get those weeks back later.
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Luca Romano
•Thanks everyone, I'm going to file my weekly claim right now. This has been really helpful!
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Harmony Love
Hey Luca! Just wanted to add that you should also make sure you're meeting the work search requirements while your claim is pending. In NY you need to make at least 3 work search contacts per week and keep records of them. You can do this through job applications, contacting employers directly, or attending job fairs. Don't forget to log these in your weekly certification - it's required even during the pending period. Good luck with your claim!
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Aisha Hussain
•This is really important info about the work search requirements! I had no idea I needed to be doing that while my claim is pending. Are there any specific websites or resources that NY recommends for job searching, or can I use any legitimate job site like Indeed or LinkedIn?
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Victoria Scott
•@Harmony Love You can use any legitimate job search method for the work search requirements! NYS DOL accepts applications through Indeed, LinkedIn, company websites, staffing agencies, networking events, and even direct contact with employers. The key is just documenting what you did - like saving job posting links, noting company names and dates you applied, etc. The NY.gov jobs site is also good to check since some employers prefer to post there for state residents. Just make sure whatever you do counts as a genuine attempt to find work!
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Eli Wang
Just went through this same situation a few months ago! The waiting week elimination is still in effect for 2025, so you should get paid for your first week of unemployment once approved. One thing I wish someone had told me earlier - make sure you have direct deposit set up in your my.ny.gov account because paper checks can add extra delays. Also, keep all your employment documents handy (last pay stub, separation notice if you got one) in case they need additional verification. The restaurant industry layoffs are usually pretty straightforward for approval since it's clearly not your fault. Hang in there!
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Sofia Martinez
•@Eli Wang Thanks for mentioning the direct deposit tip! I actually haven t'set that up yet - I was so focused on just getting the claim filed that I didn t'think about payment method. Do you remember how long it took to set up direct deposit in the system? I m'worried that if I change it now while my claim is pending it might cause more delays.
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