Step by step guide - how to apply for unemployment benefits through NYS Department of Labor
I'm trying to help my sister figure out how to apply for unemployment benefits in New York. She just got laid off from her retail job last week and has never filed for UI before. I've been through this process myself but that was a few years ago and I know things have changed. Can someone walk through the current steps for applying through NYS Department of Labor? She's pretty overwhelmed right now and wants to make sure she doesn't mess anything up. Also wondering about timing - should she apply right away or wait until her last day of work officially processes? Any advice would be really helpful.
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Dana Doyle
She should definitely apply as soon as possible after her last day of work. The NYS Department of Labor system is all online now through my.ny.gov. She'll need her Social Security number, driver's license, and employment history for the past 18 months including employer names, addresses, and dates worked. The application asks for her last employer's information first, then walks through previous jobs. Make sure she has her final pay stub and separation notice if her employer provided one. The whole process takes about 30-45 minutes if she has all her documents ready.
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Liam Duke
•Thank you! Should she include her part-time job from last summer or just focus on the main retail position? She worked at a coffee shop for about 3 months but it was only weekends.
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Darcy Moore
Include ALL employment from the past 18 months, even part-time and temporary work. The NYS Department of Labor uses this information to calculate her benefit amount and determine eligibility. Missing jobs can cause delays in processing her claim. Also make sure she files her first weekly claim the week after she applies - that's a step a lot of first-time filers forget about.
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Manny Lark
•wait what's a weekly claim?? I thought you just apply once and then get money
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Dana Doyle
•You have to file a weekly claim every week to certify that you're still unemployed and looking for work. It's like checking in with NYS Department of Labor. If you miss filing your weekly claim, you won't get paid for that week.
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Rita Jacobs
The my.ny.gov website can be pretty glitchy, especially on Mondays when everyone's trying to file their weekly claims. If she runs into technical issues during the application, try using a different browser or clearing the cache. I had to apply three times before it finally went through properly. Also heads up that it might take a few weeks to get the first payment while they verify everything.
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Khalid Howes
•This is so frustrating! Why does the NYS Department of Labor make this so complicated? People need money when they lose their jobs, not weeks of bureaucratic runaround.
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Ben Cooper
If she has trouble getting through to NYS Department of Labor on the phone (which happens a lot), there's actually a service called Claimyr that can help connect you to agents faster. Check out claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. I used it when my claim got stuck in adjudication and couldn't get through the regular phone lines for weeks. Made the whole process way less stressful.
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Naila Gordon
•Never heard of this before but honestly anything is better than sitting on hold for 3 hours just to get disconnected
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Naila Gordon
One more thing - make sure she keeps detailed records of her job search activities right from the start. NYS Department of Labor requires you to make at least 3 job contacts per week and keep a log. Even if her claim is still processing, she needs to be actively looking for work and documenting it. They can ask to see this information at any time.
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Liam Duke
•Thanks everyone! This is exactly what she needed to know. Going to help her apply this weekend when we can sit down with all her paperwork.
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Aisha Hussain
Just want to add that she should also gather her bank account information for direct deposit setup during the application process. NYS Department of Labor strongly recommends direct deposit over waiting for debit cards to arrive by mail. Also, if she was laid off due to lack of work (not fired for misconduct), make sure she selects the correct reason on the application - this affects how quickly her claim gets processed. The system will ask for specific details about her separation, so having her termination letter or any documentation from HR can be helpful if there are follow-up questions.
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