NYS Department of Labor weekly claim certification - is unemployment weekly filing mandatory?
I just got approved for unemployment benefits after my restaurant job ended last month. The NYS Department of Labor approval letter mentions something about weekly certifications but I'm confused about what this means exactly. Do I have to file something every single week? What happens if I miss a week? I thought once you're approved you just get the money automatically. Can someone explain how the weekly process actually works?
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Connor Murphy
Yes, you absolutely must file a weekly claim certification every week to continue receiving benefits. This is how you tell NYS Department of Labor that you're still unemployed and actively looking for work. You have to answer questions about any work you did that week, job search activities, and confirm you're able and available for work. If you don't certify for a week, you won't get paid for that week.
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QuantumQuest
•Oh wow I had no idea! How do I file these weekly claims? Is it on the same website where I applied?
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Yara Haddad
You file through the my.ny.gov portal, same place you applied. The weekly claim becomes available every Sunday and you have until the following Saturday to complete it. Make sure you keep track of all your job search activities because they ask for details about where you applied and what type of work you're looking for. Missing even one week can mess up your payment schedule.
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Keisha Robinson
•this happened to me I missed one week and it took forever to get back on track with payments
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Paolo Conti
The weekly certification is basically NYS Department of Labor's way of making sure you're still eligible. You'll answer the same basic questions every week - did you work, are you looking for work, are you able and available, etc. It usually takes like 5 minutes once you get used to it. The key thing is being consistent about when you file it each week.
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QuantumQuest
•Are there specific days I should file or can I do it anytime during the week?
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Connor Murphy
•You can file anytime from Sunday through Saturday, but I'd recommend doing it the same day each week so you don't forget. Many people do it Sunday evening when it first becomes available.
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Amina Sow
I've been having trouble getting through to NYS Department of Labor when I have questions about my weekly claims. The phone lines are always busy and the online messaging system never gets responses. Has anyone found a better way to reach them when you need help with the weekly certification process?
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GalaxyGazer
•I had the same problem until someone told me about Claimyr. It's a service that helps you get through to NYS Department of Labor agents by phone. I used it when I was confused about reporting part-time work on my weekly claims and actually got connected to someone who could explain it properly. You can check it out at claimyr.com - they even have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works.
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Amina Sow
•Thanks! I'll definitely look into that. I've been so frustrated trying to get answers about the job search requirements.
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Oliver Wagner
wait so if I don't file one week I lose the money for that week forever?? that seems really harsh especially if you just forget or something comes up
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Yara Haddad
•Unfortunately yes, if you miss your weekly certification you typically can't go back and claim that week later. That's why it's so important to set up some kind of reminder system. NYS Department of Labor is pretty strict about the weekly filing deadlines.
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Angel Campbell
One thing that helped me was setting up a weekly phone alarm for Sunday evenings to remind me to file my weekly certification. I also bookmarked the my.ny.gov portal on my phone so I could access it easily. The questions really are straightforward once you get into the routine - they mainly want to know if you worked any hours that week, what job search activities you did, and confirm you're still available for work. Just make sure you keep a simple log of where you applied for jobs each week since they ask for specific details about your job search efforts.
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Zara Khan
•That's a great tip about setting up the phone alarm! I'm definitely going to do that since I can already tell I'm the type to forget. Quick question - when they ask about job search activities, do they want like company names and positions you applied for, or is it more general? I'm worried about having to remember all those specific details every week.
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