When can I certify for unemployment benefits with NYS Department of Labor?
I just got laid off from my restaurant job last Friday and I'm confused about the timing for weekly certifications. I filed my initial claim on Monday but I'm not sure when I'm supposed to start doing the weekly claims. Do I wait until next week or can I certify right away? The my.ny.gov website isn't super clear about this and I don't want to mess up my claim by doing it wrong.
14 comments
Join the conversation
QuantumQuest
You typically start your weekly certifications the week after you file your initial claim. So if you filed this Monday, you'd do your first weekly claim this upcoming Sunday or Monday for the week you just completed. The NYS Department of Labor processes these on a schedule - your last name determines which day you can certify each week.
0 coins
Zoe Dimitriou
•Thanks! My last name starts with M so I think that means I certify on Tuesdays? And I certify for the previous week, not the current one right?
0 coins
Jamal Anderson
yeah the certification schedule is based on your last name. A-F certify on sundays, G-N on mondays, O-Z on tuesdays. you always certify for the week that already ended
0 coins
Mei Zhang
Just a heads up - make sure you have your work search activities ready when you certify. NYS Department of Labor requires 3 work search contacts per week unless you're on standby status. Keep detailed records because they can audit your job search log at any time.
0 coins
Zoe Dimitriou
•Oh no, I didn't know about the 3 work searches per week! I've only applied to 1 job so far. Can I still certify this week or will they deny my claim?
0 coins
Mei Zhang
•For your first week you might be okay since you were just getting oriented with the system. But going forward, make sure you're doing the required job searches. Document everything - company names, dates, contact methods.
0 coins
Liam McGuire
I had the worst time trying to get through to NYS Department of Labor when I had questions about my certification schedule. Their phone lines are constantly busy and the chat feature barely works. I finally found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that actually got me connected to a real agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Saved me hours of trying to call myself.
0 coins
Amara Eze
•Wow that sounds too good to be true. How much does something like that cost? I've been calling for weeks trying to get answers about my adjudication.
0 coins
Liam McGuire
•It's way easier than dealing with the phone maze yourself. The value is definitely there when you consider how much time you'd spend calling otherwise. Check out their site for details.
0 coins
Giovanni Ricci
Wait I'm confused... I thought you certify every week on the same day regardless of your name? I've been certifying on Wednesdays for months and never had an issue
0 coins
QuantumQuest
•The alphabetical schedule is for when you CAN certify, not when you MUST. You can actually certify any day during your assigned window, but most people stick to their designated day to avoid confusion.
0 coins
NeonNomad
OMG the whole system is so confusing! I missed my first week of certification because I didn't know when to do it and now I'm scared my whole claim is ruined ðŸ˜
0 coins
Reina Salazar
•Don't panic! Missing one week of certification usually isn't the end of the world. You can often still claim that week later - NYS DOL allows you to certify for missed weeks when you do your next certification. Just make sure to certify going forward and you should be able to get back on track. The system is definitely confusing at first but you'll get the hang of it!
0 coins
Vanessa Figueroa
Hey everyone! I'm new to this whole unemployment process too and reading through these comments has been super helpful. I just wanted to add that I found the NY.gov mobile app actually explains the certification timing pretty clearly if you go to the "Weekly Certification" section - it shows your specific day based on your last name and has a little calendar view. Also, for anyone worried about the work search requirements, I called the customer service line early in the morning (like 8:05 AM) and got through on my third try. They confirmed that for restaurant workers, things like checking job boards, visiting restaurants in person, and even networking events all count toward your 3 weekly contacts. Hope this helps someone!
0 coins