What day do I file my unemployment claim with NYS Department of Labor?
I just got laid off yesterday from my warehouse job and I'm totally confused about when I'm supposed to file my unemployment claim. Do I file it right away or wait? And then for the weekly claims, is there a specific day I have to do those? I keep seeing different information online and I don't want to mess this up. The NYS Department of Labor website isn't super clear about the timing. Can someone who's been through this help me out?
12 comments
Join the conversation
Kaylee Cook
You should file your initial claim as soon as possible after becoming unemployed. There's no waiting period requirement in NY, and you want to get your claim date established. For weekly claims, you can file them starting Sunday for the previous week, but you have until the following Saturday to submit. Most people file on Sundays when the system is less busy.
0 coins
Morgan Washington
•Thanks! So if I file my initial claim today, when would I file my first weekly claim?
0 coins
Oliver Alexander
File ASAP! I waited a few days thinking I needed to wait and it just delayed everything. The weekly claims can be done Sunday through Saturday, but definitely don't wait until Saturday because if the system goes down you're screwed. I always do mine on Sunday mornings.
0 coins
Lara Woods
•Same here, Sunday mornings are the way to go. Way less traffic on the my.ny.gov site.
0 coins
Adrian Hughes
I'm confused about this too! I thought you had to wait a week before filing your first weekly claim? And what if you get laid off on a Friday - do you file that same day or wait until Monday??
0 coins
Kaylee Cook
•No waiting period needed. If you get laid off Friday, file your initial claim Friday or over the weekend. Your first weekly claim would be for the week after your last day of work.
0 coins
Molly Chambers
I had so much trouble reaching NYS Department of Labor to ask about this exact question! Their phone lines are constantly busy. I ended up using this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that gets you through to an actual agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Saved me hours of calling and redialing.
0 coins
Morgan Washington
•Interesting, I might need to check that out if I run into issues. The phone system sounds like a nightmare.
0 coins
Ian Armstrong
•Never heard of that but honestly anything is better than sitting on hold for 3 hours just to get disconnected.
0 coins
Eli Butler
File immediately! Don't overthink it. I filed on a Wednesday when I got laid off and started getting benefits the following week after my waiting week. The key is just getting in the system ASAP.
0 coins
Sayid Hassan
I just went through this process a few months ago when I lost my retail job. Here's what worked for me: file your initial claim online immediately - don't wait even a day. The sooner you file, the sooner your benefit year starts. For weekly claims, I always file on Sunday afternoons around 2-3pm when the system seems most stable. You'll be claiming benefits for the week that just ended, so your first weekly claim would be filed the Sunday after your first full week of unemployment. One tip - keep detailed records of your job search activities from day one because they'll ask for that info when you certify. The whole process is less scary than it seems once you get started!
0 coins
Liam O'Sullivan
•This is really helpful, thank you! I was wondering about the job search records - do you remember what specific information they wanted? Like just company names and dates, or more detailed info about each application?
0 coins