NYS Department of Labor first unemployment direct deposit timing - how long does it actually take?
I just got approved for unemployment benefits after waiting through adjudication for almost a month. My claim finally shows 'approved' on my.ny.gov and I can see my payment amount, but I'm confused about when I'll actually get the money. I set up direct deposit when I first applied but this is my first time ever collecting unemployment. Does anyone know how long the first direct deposit usually takes once your claim gets approved? The website just says 'allow additional time for first payment' but doesn't give specifics. I really need to know because rent is due next week and I'm counting on this money.
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Amara Eze
The first direct deposit typically takes 2-3 business days after your payment is released by NYS Department of Labor. However, there can be delays if your bank needs to verify the new deposit source. Some banks hold the first unemployment deposit for up to 5 business days as a security measure. You should see the payment show as 'released' in your account before it hits your bank.
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Liam McGuire
•Thanks! I checked and it does say 'payment released' as of yesterday. Hopefully my bank doesn't hold it too long since I really need it.
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Giovanni Greco
mine took like a week the first time because chase held it for some reason, but after that it was always 2 days exactly
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Fatima Al-Farsi
If you're having trouble reaching NYS Department of Labor to check on payment timing, I used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helps you actually get through to an agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Really helped when I needed to verify my payment status and couldn't get through the regular phone lines.
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Dylan Wright
•Is that legit? I've been trying to call for days about my payment and keep getting the busy signal or getting disconnected.
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Fatima Al-Farsi
•Yeah it's real, they basically handle the calling and waiting for you so you don't have to sit on hold. Saved me hours of frustration when I had payment issues.
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Sofia Torres
UGH the NYS Department of Labor payment system is SO slow! I remember my first payment took almost 2 weeks because they had some 'processing delay' that they never explained. The whole system is ancient and breaks down constantly. Don't be surprised if it takes longer than they say.
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Liam McGuire
•That's exactly what I'm worried about. Did you ever find out what caused the delay or did it just randomly show up?
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Sofia Torres
•It just showed up one day with no explanation. The customer service couldn't even tell me why it was delayed when I finally got through to someone.
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GalacticGuardian
Make sure you check that your bank routing and account numbers are correct in your my.ny.gov profile. I had a friend whose first payment got delayed by a week because she had one digit wrong in her account number and NYS Department of Labor had to reverse the payment and reissue it.
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GalaxyGlider
I went through this exact same situation last month! From my experience, once you see "payment released" on my.ny.gov, it usually takes 2-3 business days for direct deposit. However, since this is your first unemployment payment, your bank might put a temporary hold on it for verification - mine did for 2 extra days. I'd recommend calling your bank to let them know you're expecting an unemployment deposit, as this can sometimes speed up the verification process. Also, make sure to screenshot that "payment released" status in case you need it for reference. Hope this helps and that your payment comes through soon!
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Nathan Dell
•This is really helpful advice! I never thought about calling my bank ahead of time to let them know about the deposit. That's a great tip about screenshotting the "payment released" status too - I just did that. Hopefully between your advice and what others have said, I should see the money in the next few days. Thanks for sharing your experience!
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