NY Unemployment: How Long After "Questionnaire Complete" Until Eligibility Determination? Need PIN for Weekly Certification

It took me about 3-4 weeks to hear back after submitting everything. They're pretty backed up rn. For the PIN, you'll get it in the mail with your monetary determination letter. You can certify any day of the week but Sunday is the first day you can do it for the previous week.

Hey there! I found a way to actually get someone on the phone using claimyr.com. It costs $20 but they dial and wait on hold, then connect you to an agent. Here's a video explaining how it works: https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE

Make sure you certify EVERY week even while waiting for approval! Don't skip any weeks or youll have to go through extra steps to claim those weeks later its a huge pain

Pro tip: certify early Sunday morning like 7:30am. The website gets mad slow later in the day and sometimes crashes 💀

ur gonna need patience dealing with ny unemployment lmao. but fr tho, once everything's set up its pretty smooth sailing. just make sure u keep all ur documents and take screenshots of everything u submit just incase

Read this carefully because this is what you need to do: First, you'll need to wait for your monetary determination letter which comes with your PIN. This usually takes 2-3 weeks but can vary. While waiting: - Keep checking your mail daily - Document all your work search activities (minimum 3 per week) - Once you get your PIN, you can start certifying - Best time to certify is Sunday morning - If you need to speak with someone, use claimyr.com to get through - Keep ALL documentation If you don't hear anything after 3 weeks, definitely try calling. The regular phone lines are usually jammed but claimyr.com can help get through. Don't stress too much - everyone goes through this confusion at first! 💯

Just went through this same process last month! Few things to add to what others have said: 1. The "3 work search activities per week" requirement is legit - keep a log with dates, company names, and how you applied. They can ask for this info later. 2. If you're doing gig work or freelancing while unemployed, make sure to report ALL income when you certify - even like $20 from a small job. They'll find out eventually and it's better to be upfront. 3. Your first payment might take an extra week after you start certifying, so don't panic if it doesn't hit your account right away. 4. Download the NY DOL mobile app too - sometimes it's faster than the website for checking claim status. Good luck! The waiting is the worst part but once you're in the system it gets easier 🤞

Hey! I just went through this exact same thing a few weeks ago. Here's what I learned: You definitely need to wait for your PIN to arrive in the mail with your monetary determination letter before you can start certifying. Mine took about 2.5 weeks to arrive. One thing I wish someone had told me - even though you can't certify yet, start keeping track of your work search activities NOW. You'll need to report 3 per week once you start certifying, and it's way easier to keep a running log than try to remember everything later. Also, when you do get your PIN, make sure to certify for the very first week you were unemployed, even if it was before you got approved. The system will let you backdate and claim those weeks. The waiting is super stressful but hang in there! Once everything gets rolling it's much more straightforward than it seems right now.

Just want to echo what everyone else is saying - the waiting period is definitely the hardest part! I went through this same process about 6 months ago and here's what helped me: While you're waiting for your PIN, definitely start that work search log like others mentioned. I used a simple Google Sheets document with columns for date, company, position, method (online app, email, phone call, etc.), and any follow-up actions. Made it super easy when I needed to reference it later. Also, don't be surprised if your first few certification attempts feel confusing - the questions can be a bit unclear at first but you'll get the hang of it. And definitely certify early on Sundays like @Diego mentioned - I learned that the hard way after getting stuck in website crashes a few times! One last tip: if you end up needing to call them for any reason, have your Social Security number, claim confirmation number, and employment dates ready. They always ask for the same info and having it written down saves time. You got this! The system works, it just takes patience at the beginning 💪

Hey! I just went through this exact process about 2 months ago and it's definitely overwhelming at first. Here's what I learned: The timing really varies - I got my monetary determination letter with PIN in about 2 weeks, but I've seen people wait up to 4 weeks depending on how backed up they are. One thing that really helped me was setting up a dedicated email folder for all unemployment-related emails and taking screenshots of every single page during the application process. The system can be glitchy sometimes and having that documentation saved me when I had to call later. For the work search activities everyone's mentioning - LinkedIn job applications definitely count! I also counted things like updating my resume, attending virtual networking events, and reaching out to contacts in my industry. Just make sure whatever you do is genuinely aimed at finding work. Also heads up - when you do start certifying, there's a question about whether you were "able and available" to work that can be tricky. If you had any appointments or were sick for a day, you might still answer yes as long as you were generally available for work that week. The key is being honest but not overthinking it. The whole process gets so much easier once you're in the routine! Hang in there 🙂

Hey! I'm in a really similar situation - just submitted my questionnaire a few days ago and seeing that same "Questionnaire Complete" message. Reading through all these responses is so helpful because I was totally lost on what to expect next! Quick question for everyone who's been through this - I've been unemployed for about 2 weeks already while I was getting all my paperwork together to apply. When I do get my PIN and start certifying, will I be able to claim those first 2 weeks retroactively, or do benefits only start from when you actually submit the initial application? Also seeing a lot of mentions about work search activities - I've been applying to jobs but haven't been keeping a detailed log like everyone's suggesting. Should I try to recreate what I can remember from the past couple weeks, or just start fresh with detailed tracking from now on? Thanks so much to everyone sharing their experiences - this community is a lifesaver for navigating all this confusion! 🙏

Just wanted to jump in as someone who went through this process recently! The waiting period after submitting your questionnaire is definitely nerve-wracking, but here's what helped me: 1. **Timeline**: Mine took about 2.5 weeks to get the monetary determination letter with PIN, but I've heard anywhere from 10 days to 4+ weeks depending on their current workload. 2. **Work search tracking**: Start logging your job search activities RIGHT NOW even though you can't certify yet. I used a simple spreadsheet with columns for date, company name, position, and application method. You'll need 3 activities per week once you start certifying. 3. **Documentation**: Screenshot everything and save all emails! The system can be glitchy and having proof of what you submitted is super helpful if issues come up later. 4. **Certification timing**: Once you get your PIN, you can certify starting Sunday for the previous week. Early morning (like 7-8am) is best to avoid website crashes. 5. **Backdating**: You should be able to claim benefits back to your actual last day of work, even if it was before you submitted your application - just have those exact dates ready. The hardest part is definitely the waiting and not knowing what's happening! But once you're in the system and have your PIN, the weekly certification process becomes pretty routine. Hang in there! 💪

Hey @Malik! I just went through this exact same process about a month ago, so I totally feel your confusion right now! Here's what I learned: **Timeline**: My monetary determination letter with PIN took exactly 18 days to arrive. Some people get it faster, others slower - it really depends on their current backlog. **PIN & Certification**: You definitely need to wait for that PIN in the mail before you can start certifying. BUT here's the good news - once you get it, you can backdate your claim to your actual last day of work and claim all those missed weeks! **Weekly Certification Schedule**: You can certify any day of the week, but the "certification week" runs Sunday to Saturday. Most people certify on Sunday for the previous week. I learned to do it early Sunday morning (like 8am) because the site gets super slow later in the day. **Work Search Activities**: Start tracking your job search activities RIGHT NOW even though you can't certify yet! You'll need to report 3 per week once you start. I wish someone had told me this earlier. Keep a simple log with date, company name, position, and how you applied (Indeed, LinkedIn, company website, etc.). **What to do while waiting**: Keep applying for jobs and document everything. Take screenshots of your application confirmations. The waiting sucks but once you're in the system it becomes much more routine. You're doing everything right so far - just hang tight for that PIN to arrive! 🤞

Just wanted to add my recent experience to help out! I submitted my questionnaire about 3 weeks ago and got my PIN/monetary determination letter last Friday - so right around that 2-3 week timeframe everyone's mentioning. The PIN comes in a pretty official-looking envelope from NYS Department of Labor, so don't accidentally toss it thinking it's junk mail! Mine had my weekly benefit amount and the PIN I needed to start certifying. One thing I learned the hard way - when you first log in with your PIN, the system will ask you to certify for ALL the weeks since your last day of work, not just from when you applied. So if you've been unemployed for 2+ weeks already, be prepared to certify for those weeks too. It's actually great because you'll get backpay for that time! Also echoing what everyone said about the work search log - I had to scramble to remember what jobs I applied to in those first weeks and it was stressful. Definitely start tracking now with dates, company names, and where you applied (LinkedIn, Indeed, company websites, etc.). The certification process itself is pretty straightforward once you get used to it. Just answer the questions honestly and make sure you're available for work. Good luck! 🍀

Hey! I'm actually in almost the exact same situation as you right now - just submitted my questionnaire 2 days ago and seeing that same "Questionnaire Complete" message. This thread has been SO helpful because I was completely lost about what happens next! Based on what everyone's sharing, sounds like we're in for a 2-3 week wait for that PIN to arrive in the mail. I'm definitely taking everyone's advice and starting a work search activity log today - seems like literally everyone wishes they had done that from day one. One thing I'm still a bit confused about though - I see people mentioning you can backdate to claim weeks from before you even applied. Does anyone know if there's a limit to how far back you can go? I was unemployed for about 10 days before I even knew I could apply for unemployment (totally new to this whole process). Also really appreciate all the tips about certifying early Sunday morning and keeping screenshots of everything. This whole process seems way less scary now that I know what to expect! Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - this community is amazing! 🙏

Hey! I went through this exact same process about 6 weeks ago and totally understand the anxiety of waiting and not knowing what's happening. Here's what I learned: **Timeline**: Got my PIN in exactly 16 days after that "Questionnaire Complete" confirmation. The envelope is pretty thick and official-looking from NYS DOL, so definitely don't miss it! **Backdating**: Yes, you can absolutely claim benefits back to your actual last day of work, even if you applied weeks later. I was unemployed for 12 days before I even figured out how to apply, and I got paid for all of it once my claim was approved. **Work Search**: Cannot stress this enough - START LOGGING NOW! Even if you have to recreate the past week or two from memory, do it. You need 3 activities per week and they can audit at any time. I use a simple Notes app entry with: Date | Company | Position | Method (LinkedIn, Indeed, etc.) **Certification Schedule**: Once you get your PIN, you can certify starting Sunday morning for the previous week. I do it at 7am every Sunday - never had issues with the site crashing at that time. **Pro tip**: When you first log in with your PIN, the system will walk you through certifying for ALL missed weeks at once. Have your work search activities ready for each week since your last day of work! The waiting is brutal but once you're in the system it's pretty smooth. You got this! 💪