Should I file for new NY unemployment claim before Sept 5th to get extra 104 weeks or wait for notification?

You should NEVER file a new claim until your current one is exhausted or you receive official notification. Filing early can cause system conflicts and might actually delay your benefits. The DOL will send you a notification about 2-3 weeks before your benefit year expires with instructions on what to do next.

i filed early once and it was a COMPLETE disaster. took almost 2 months to fix. dont do it!!!

Let me clarify about the 104-week extension program. This applies to claims that are exhausting, not to new initial claims. The September 5th deadline means that if your benefit year ends before that date, you're eligible for the extension. If your current claim isn't close to exhaustion, you don't need to worry about filing by September 5th. The system will automatically evaluate your eligibility for the extension when your current benefit year approaches its end date. Filing a new claim while you have an active one will create an overlap issue that can freeze both claims pending investigation.

Wait I'm confused too. So does this mean I should be filing something new if my benefits end in August?? Nobody told me anything about 104 extra weeks!

I was FREAKING OUT about this same thing last month!!! My benefits were running out and I couldn't get ANY info from the website about what to do. I tried calling for THREE DAYS and couldn't get through. The anxiety was killing me because I didn't know if I'd still have money coming in. Finally I found this service called Claimyr that got me connected to an actual agent in like 20 minutes. The agent explained that I needed to wait for my current claim to fully exhaust before filing again, and confirmed I'd be eligible for the extension. Totally worth it to get a straight answer instead of guessing! You can see how it works at claimyr.com or check their demo video: https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE

my cousin works at the unemployment office n she says they get super annoyed when people file new claims early. just sayin

The current rules for NY unemployment extensions can be confusing. Here's what you need to know: 1. Your BASE claim has a benefit year (usually 52 weeks from when you first applied) 2. Within that benefit year, you can receive up to 26 weeks of regular benefits 3. The 104-week extension program extends your BENEFIT YEAR, not your weekly benefits 4. You must exhaust your current claim before applying for any extensions 5. The system will notify you automatically when action is required The September 5th, 2025 deadline refers to when your original benefit year must end to qualify for the extension program. It's not a filing deadline for everyone currently on unemployment.

I had this same worry back in January! Turns out DOL sent me the notification email but it went to my spam folder, so I almost missed it. Make sure you're checking all your email folders and also log into your NY.gov account regularly to check for messages there too. They usually give you about 2-3 weeks notice before you need to take action.

To summarize what everyone has said: 1. Do NOT file a new claim until your current one is exhausted or you're instructed to do so 2. The September 5th deadline only matters if your benefit year is ending before that date 3. The system will notify you 2-3 weeks before any action is needed 4. Filing early can create serious problems that take weeks or months to resolve The best thing you can do right now is keep certifying weekly as normal and wait for official instructions from NYSDOL.