NYS Department of Labor - how to request benefits for unemployment after recent layoff?
I got laid off from my restaurant job last week and need to figure out how to request benefits for unemployment through NYS Department of Labor. I've never filed for unemployment before and honestly have no idea where to start. My manager said something about filing online but I'm not sure what information I need or how long it takes. Do I need to wait a certain amount of time after getting laid off? Also worried about messing something up on the application. Any advice would be really helpful right now.
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Yuki Tanaka
You can file your initial claim online at my.ny.gov - don't wait! You should file as soon as possible after your last day of work. You'll need your Social Security number, driver's license, and employment history for the past 18 months including employer names, addresses, and dates of employment. The system will walk you through everything step by step. After your initial claim is approved, you'll need to file weekly claims to continue receiving benefits.
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CaptainAwesome
•Thank you! Do I need pay stubs or anything like that when I file the initial claim?
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Esmeralda Gómez
Make sure you have all your employer information ready before you start - company names, addresses, phone numbers, your start and end dates, and your gross weekly wages. The NYS Department of Labor system can be picky about exact information. If you worked multiple jobs in the past year and a half, you'll need info for all of them. Also keep track of your confirmation number after you submit!
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CaptainAwesome
•I worked two part-time jobs before this restaurant job - do I need info for those too even though they were only a few months each?
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Esmeralda Gómez
•Yes, include everything from the past 18 months. They use all your employment to calculate your benefit amount.
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Klaus Schmidt
ugh the whole process is such a pain but you gotta do it. took me forever to get through when i filed last year because the website kept crashing
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Aisha Patel
I had trouble getting through to NYS Department of Labor when my claim got stuck in adjudication for weeks. Ended up using this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me actually reach a real person at the unemployment office. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Saved me hours of calling and getting busy signals or hung up on. Worth checking out if you run into issues getting through to them.
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CaptainAwesome
•Good to know, hopefully I won't need that but I'll keep it in mind if I can't get through!
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LilMama23
Don't forget you'll also need to register for work search activities once your claim is approved. The job search requirements are pretty strict now - you have to document your search activities and be ready to show proof if they ask. Start looking for jobs right away even while your claim is processing.
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Dmitri Volkov
Just wanted to say good luck with everything! Being laid off is stressful enough without having to navigate the unemployment system. You've got this though - the folks here gave you solid advice.
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