What time can you file for unemployment with NYS Department of Labor - system hours?
Quick question - is there a specific time of day when the NYS Department of Labor unemployment filing system is available? I got laid off yesterday and want to file my initial claim ASAP but don't want to waste time if the system is down during certain hours. Also wondering if there are better times to call if I need to speak to someone. Anyone know the system hours?
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Aileen Rodriguez
The online system at my.ny.gov is available 24/7 for filing initial claims and weekly certifications. I filed mine at 2 AM last month with no issues. However, if you need to call the NYS Department of Labor, their phone lines are typically open Monday-Friday 8 AM to 5 PM. Fair warning though - mornings are usually swamped.
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Bruno Simmons
•Perfect, thanks! I'll file online tonight then. Do you remember how long the initial application took you to complete?
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Zane Gray
filed mine on a sunday evening around 9pm, went through fine. just make sure you have all your employment info ready - last employer details, dates, reason for separation, etc. takes about 20-30 minutes if you have everything organized
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Maggie Martinez
The system is technically 24/7 but I've noticed it can be really slow during peak hours like Monday mornings when everyone is filing their weekly claims. If you're filing your initial claim I'd suggest doing it during off-peak times like evenings or weekends for faster loading. Also, just so you know, you need to file within 30 days of becoming unemployed to avoid any delays in processing.
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Alejandro Castro
•Actually, you should file as soon as possible after becoming unemployed, not wait the full 30 days. Your benefit year starts from when you file, not when you became unemployed. The sooner you file, the sooner you can start receiving benefits if approved.
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Monique Byrd
ugh trying to call the NYS Department of Labor is a nightmare no matter what time you call!! i've been trying for weeks to get through about my adjudication issue and either get busy signals or sit on hold for hours just to get disconnected. seriously considering paying for one of those services that calls for you at this point
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Aileen Rodriguez
•I actually used Claimyr for getting through to NYS Department of Labor when I had an overpayment issue that needed clarification. You just put in your info on claimyr.com and they call you back when they get an agent on the line. Saved me hours of frustration. They have a demo video at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Definitely worth it when you actually need to talk to someone.
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Monique Byrd
•Thanks for the tip! At this point I'm willing to try anything to get my claim sorted out.
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Jackie Martinez
Just want to add that even though the online system is 24/7, if you run into any technical issues or error messages, you'll have to wait until business hours to get help. Learned that the hard way when my account got locked during a weekend filing session.
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