When do unemployment benefits pay - NYS Department of Labor payment schedule confusion

NYS Department of Labor typically processes payments within 2-3 business days after you certify your weekly claim. Since you certified on Tuesday, you should see the deposit by Thursday or Friday. The 'payment released' status means they've approved and sent the payment to your bank, but banks can take an additional 1-2 business days to post the deposit. If you're using direct deposit, it's usually faster than the debit card option.

I've been on unemployment for 3 months now and the timing is pretty consistent. I always certify on Sunday night and get paid by Wednesday morning. But there have been a couple times where my bank took an extra day to process it, especially around holidays. Don't panic yet - Friday payments sometimes don't show up until Monday because of weekend processing delays.

ugh this happened to me last month and I was freaking out!! turns out my bank was just being slow. if you're really worried you can try calling NYS Department of Labor but good luck getting through. I spent like 3 hours on hold and they just told me what everyone here is saying - wait 2-3 business days

The whole payment system is so stressful when you're waiting for money you desperately need! I remember my first few weeks being terrified every time. Now I know that as long as my claim shows 'payment released' on the NYS Department of Labor website, the money is coming. Just try to be patient even though I know it's hard when bills are due.

I totally understand your anxiety about this! When I first started receiving unemployment benefits, I had the same panic about payment timing. One thing that helped me was setting up text alerts through my bank app so I'd get notified immediately when any deposit hits my account. Also, if you're really tight on bills, some banks will show pending deposits a day early, so it might be worth checking your online banking for any pending transactions. The NYS Department of Labor is usually pretty reliable once you get into the rhythm of their schedule, but those first few weeks are definitely nerve-wracking when you're figuring it all out.

I've been through this exact same situation! The waiting is absolutely nerve-wracking, especially when you have bills due. From my experience, the NYS Department of Labor is pretty consistent with their 2-3 business day timeline once they release payment. Since you certified Tuesday and it's showing "payment released," you should definitely see it by Monday at the latest. One thing I learned is that different banks process ACH deposits at different times - some post them early morning, others in the afternoon. If you're still worried Monday morning, you can always check the NYS DOL website to confirm your payment history shows the transaction went through. Hang in there, the first few weeks are the hardest until you get used to the routine!

I've been collecting unemployment for about 6 months now and I remember that exact panic from my early weeks! One thing that really helped me was keeping a little calendar to track my certification dates and expected payment dates. The NYS Department of Labor is actually pretty reliable once you understand their rhythm. Since you certified Tuesday and it shows "payment released," you're definitely in good shape. Just as a heads up for future weeks - I've noticed that if there's a holiday on Monday or Friday, it can sometimes push payments by an extra day. Also, if you ever need to contact them, I've found that calling right when they open at 8am gives you the best chance of getting through without waiting hours on hold. The waiting gets easier, I promise!

I went through the exact same stress when I first started collecting! The waiting period between "payment released" and actually seeing the money in your account feels like forever when you're counting every dollar. What helped me was understanding that "payment released" from NYS Department of Labor means they've done their part - the delay after that is usually on the banking side. I use Chase and typically see my deposits hit around 3-4am on the expected day, but I've had friends with smaller banks who don't see theirs until later in the afternoon. Since you certified Tuesday and it's already showing as released, I'd expect to see it by Monday morning at the absolute latest. The good news is that once you get through these first few payments and learn your bank's timing, you'll know exactly when to expect future deposits and the anxiety goes way down!