What happens when you file for unemployment with NYS Department of Labor - complete timeline?

The process starts when you file your initial application on the NYS Department of Labor website. They'll ask for your employment history for the past 18 months, including employer names, addresses, and dates of employment. After you submit, your claim goes into processing where they verify your employment and determine your weekly benefit amount based on your earnings. This usually takes 1-2 weeks if there are no issues. You'll get a monetary determination letter showing your benefit amount. Then you need to file weekly claims every week to actually receive payments - this is basically certifying that you're still unemployed and looking for work.

Yes, filing weekly claims is crucial - you won't get paid without doing this every week. You'll need to certify that you're able and available to work, that you're actively searching for jobs, and report any work or income you had that week. The NYS Department of Labor also requires you to maintain a job search log with at least 3 job contacts per week. Make sure you have all your employer information ready when you file because any mistakes can delay your claim.

Just be prepared for potential delays! My claim went into adjudication for 6 weeks because my employer contested it. They said I quit but I was actually laid off due to store closure. The whole thing was a nightmare trying to reach someone at NYS Department of Labor to explain the situation.

One thing nobody mentions - make sure you file ASAP after losing your job! There's a waiting week for new claims, and you can't get benefits for any week you don't file. I waited 2 weeks thinking I might find another job quickly and ended up losing those weeks of benefits permanently.

The whole system is honestly pretty confusing at first but you get used to it. Just remember that if your claim gets approved, your first payment usually comes about 2-3 weeks after filing if everything goes smoothly. But don't panic if it takes longer - mine took 5 weeks because of some verification issues.

Thanks everyone for all this helpful info! I'm definitely going to file today after reading all of this. One quick question - when you say they contact your employer to verify employment, do they actually call them or is it just through some automated system? I'm worried my old manager might say something negative since the layoffs were pretty sudden and there was some tension. Also, should I expect to get any paperwork in the mail or is everything done online these days?