When can you claim unemployment benefits - NYS Department of Labor eligibility timeline?

That's helpful, thank you! So I should wait until the Monday after my last Friday to file the initial claim?

Wait, I'm confused - do you file the initial claim AND the weekly claim in the same week? Or do you wait until the second week to do your first weekly claim?

You can do both in the same week. File your initial application first, then once that's processed (usually within a day or two), you can file your first weekly claim for that same week of unemployment.

How much does something like that cost? Seems like it might be worth it to avoid the phone hell.

I don't remember the exact cost but it was totally worth it to actually talk to someone who could answer my questions properly instead of guessing.

This is exactly why I'm asking here first! I don't want to mess up the timing and lose benefits or cause delays.

This is super helpful, thank you Tony! So just to make sure I understand correctly - if my last day is this Friday, I would file the initial claim on Monday, and then once that's approved in a few days, I can file my weekly certification for that same Monday-Sunday week? And I'd be eligible for benefits for that full week even though I worked Friday of the previous week?

@5405fa7ab1d2 Actually, I think there might be a small clarification needed here. If your last day of work is Friday, you wouldn't be eligible for benefits for that week since you worked part of it. You'd be eligible starting the following week (Monday-Sunday) when you're completely unemployed for the entire week. So you'd file your initial claim that Monday after your last Friday, then file your first weekly certification for the week starting that Monday. The week you worked Friday wouldn't count as a claimable week since you weren't unemployed for the full week.

@5405fa7ab1d2 can clarify this better, but from what I understand, you need to be unemployed for the entire week to claim benefits for that week. So if you worked Friday of one week, you typically can't claim that week - you'd start claiming from the following week when you're unemployed Monday through Sunday. The key is "total unemployment" for the benefit week.

@Tony Brooks can clarify better, but from what I understand, you re'eligible for the week you become unemployed, not the week you last worked. So if Friday is your last day of work, you d'be unemployed starting that weekend, and you can claim benefits for the week that begins the following Monday. You wouldn t'claim the week where you worked Friday - only full weeks of unemployment count. The timing can be tricky but Tony s'breakdown seems spot on.

@5405fa7ab1d2 can you clarify this point? I'm in a similar situation and want to make sure I understand - if I work part of a week (like Friday), do I still qualify for benefits for that entire week? I thought you had to be completely unemployed for the whole week to claim it.

@5405fa7ab1d2 Actually, I think there might be a small correction needed here. If your last day of work is Friday, you wouldn't be eligible for benefits for that week since you worked part of it. You'd be eligible starting the following week (Monday after your last Friday). So you'd file your initial claim that Monday, get approved, then file your first weekly certification for the week starting that Monday. You can't claim a week where you worked any days, even just one day. Just wanted to clarify that part!

Actually, I think there might be some confusion here. If Friday is your last day of work, you wouldn't be eligible for benefits for that week since you worked part of it. You'd be eligible starting the following week (Monday-Sunday) when you're completely unemployed for the entire week. So you'd file your initial claim the Monday after your last day, then file your first weekly certification for the week that starts that Monday. The week you worked Friday wouldn't count as a claimable week.

@5405fa7ab1d2 can help clarify this, but from what I understand, you need to be unemployed for the entire week to claim benefits for that week. So if you work Friday, you typically can't claim that Monday-Sunday week since you worked part of it. You'd start claiming from the following week when you're fully unemployed. The timing can be tricky - definitely worth double-checking with NYS DOL directly or maybe trying that Claimyr service @ac1284b3b427 mentioned to get a definitive answer on your specific situation.

@Nora Bennett That s'exactly right! The key thing to remember is that unemployment weeks run Monday through Sunday, so if Friday is your last day of work, you re'unemployed for the entire following week Monday-Sunday (and) eligible to claim benefits for that full week. You don t'lose any benefits just because you worked part of the previous week - each week is counted separately. Just make sure when you file your weekly certification that you report any wages you earned during that specific claim week which (would be zero if you re'fully unemployed that week .)

@5405fa7ab1d2 can clarify better, but from what I understand, you need to be unemployed for the entire week you're claiming. So if Friday is your last day of work, you wouldn't be eligible for that week since you worked part of it. You'd start claiming benefits for the following week (Monday-Sunday) when you're fully unemployed for the entire 7-day period. That's why the timing of filing the initial claim on Monday after your last day makes sense - you're setting it up to claim the week that starts that Monday.