When do you collect unemployment benefits from NYS Department of Labor?
I'm totally confused about when exactly you're supposed to collect unemployment benefits. My company just told me they're letting me go next Friday and I have no idea when I should start the process or when payments actually begin. Do I file immediately after my last day? Is there a waiting period? I keep seeing different information online and I'm worried I'll mess something up and lose benefits. Can someone explain the timeline for when you actually collect unemployment from NYS Department of Labor?
9 comments
Join the conversation
Lydia Santiago
You can file your initial claim starting the Sunday after your last day of work. There's a one-week waiting period before you start receiving payments, so your first payment would come after completing your second weekly claim. Make sure to file weekly claims every Sunday even during that waiting week or you'll lose benefits.
0 coins
Melissa Lin
•So if my last day is Friday, I file that Sunday and then wait two weeks for my first payment? That seems like a long time without income.
0 coins
Romeo Quest
yeah i think theres a waiting week but not totally sure... when i got laid off last year i just filed right away and eventually got money
0 coins
Val Rossi
The key thing is filing your initial claim as soon as possible after your separation. NYS Department of Labor backdate claims but only for a limited time. You'll need to complete weekly certifications every week and meet job search requirements to keep collecting. The waiting week applies to most people unless you're on certain standby status.
0 coins
Eve Freeman
•What if you don't find out about the layoff until the last minute? I'm worried I won't have time to gather all the paperwork they need.
0 coins
Clarissa Flair
I had issues reaching NYS Department of Labor when I needed to ask about my claim timeline. After getting hung up on multiple times, I found claimyr.com which helped me get through to an actual agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Made the whole process much less stressful when I could actually talk to someone about my specific situation.
0 coins
Melissa Lin
•That's really helpful, thanks! I was dreading trying to call them with questions.
0 coins
Caden Turner
The NYS Department of Labor system is SO CONFUSING about timing! They make it seem like you can just file and get money but there's all these hidden rules and waiting periods they don't tell you about upfront.
0 coins
McKenzie Shade
just went thru this myself - file the claim asap and keep filing weekly no matter what
0 coins