Questions about unemployment benefits - NYS Department of Labor filing process and requirements
I'm trying to figure out the whole unemployment process and have so many questions about filing with NYS Department of Labor. My company laid me off last week and I've never dealt with this before. Do I file online through my.ny.gov? How long does it take to get approved? What documents do I need? Also confused about the weekly claims - do I have to do something every week even before I'm approved? Any help would be appreciated, this is all overwhelming.
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Layla Sanders
Yes, you file online at my.ny.gov. You'll need your social security number, employment history for the last 18 months, and bank info for direct deposit. File as soon as possible since there's a waiting week. Weekly claims start the week after you file your initial claim, and yes you must file them every week even during adjudication.
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Anna Stewart
•Thank you! Do I need pay stubs or just the employment dates and employer info?
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Morgan Washington
the whole process is a nightmare honestly, took me 6 weeks to get my first payment and that was with no issues on my claim. make sure you have EVERYTHING ready before you start the application or you'll get stuck
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Kaylee Cook
For documents, you don't need pay stubs during initial filing but keep them handy. NYS Department of Labor might request them later. The key is having accurate employer information - company name, address, dates of employment, and reason for separation. If you were laid off due to lack of work, that's straightforward. Make sure to register for work search requirements too through the NY.gov website.
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Anna Stewart
•What exactly are the work search requirements? Do I have to start looking for jobs immediately?
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Kaylee Cook
•Yes, you need to actively search for work and keep a log. Three job search activities per week minimum. This includes applying for jobs, attending job fairs, networking events, or using career services.
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Oliver Alexander
I had trouble getting through to NYS Department of Labor when I had questions about my claim status. The phone lines are always busy and the callback system never worked for me. I ended up using this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that basically calls for you and gets you connected to an actual agent. There's a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Saved me hours of trying to get through on my own.
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Morgan Washington
•how much does that cost though? seems like we shouldnt have to pay extra just to talk to them
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Oliver Alexander
•I thought the same thing initially, but honestly it was worth it for me. The time I saved and actually getting answers to my questions made the difference between staying stressed and getting my issues resolved.
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Lara Woods
One thing to watch out for - if your claim goes into adjudication (which happens a lot), don't panic. It just means they need to review something about your claim. Could be verifying your employment history or the reason you left your job. Keep filing your weekly claims during this time or you'll lose those weeks.
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Adrian Hughes
good luck with this whole thing, unemployment system is so confusing even when you do everything right
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