When does NYS Department of Labor unemployment start after filing?
I just submitted my unemployment application on the NYS Department of Labor website three days ago and I'm wondering when my benefits actually start. Do they begin from the day I filed or from when I first became unemployed? I lost my job on January 15th but didn't file until January 18th because I was confused about the process. Also not sure when I'm supposed to start doing my weekly claims - is that immediate or do I wait for approval first?
11 comments
Join the conversation
StarStrider
Your benefit year starts from the Sunday of the week you file your initial claim, not from when you lost your job. So if you filed on January 18th (which was a Saturday), your benefit year would start from January 12th. You can request benefits for any weeks of unemployment starting from that Sunday, but you won't receive payment until your claim is approved by NYS Department of Labor.
0 coins
Zara Ahmed
•Thanks! So I can claim the week I was unemployed before I actually filed? That's a relief because I was worried I lost those days.
0 coins
Luca Esposito
You need to start filing your weekly claims right away even while your initial claim is still being processed. Don't wait for approval or you'll miss out on weeks you could be claiming. Log into your my.ny.gov account and look for the weekly claim filing option - it should be available within a day or two of filing your initial application.
0 coins
Nia Thompson
•This is correct. I made the mistake of waiting for my claim to be approved before filing weekly claims and lost two weeks of benefits that I couldn't get back.
0 coins
Mateo Rodriguez
The whole system is confusing honestly. I had trouble getting through to anyone at NYS Department of Labor to ask these basic questions. If you need to talk to someone about when your benefits start or if there are any issues with your claim, I found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that actually gets you 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.
0 coins
Aisha Abdullah
•Interesting, never heard of that service before. Did they charge you a lot to get through?
0 coins
Mateo Rodriguez
•They don't require any personal info upfront and focus on actually solving the problem rather than just taking your money. Worth checking out if you're stuck.
0 coins
Ethan Wilson
wait so if I file on a tuesday my benefits start the sunday before that tuesday?? that doesnt make sense why would they backdate it
0 coins
StarStrider
•Yes, NYS Department of Labor uses a week-based system that always starts on Sunday. This way everyone's benefit weeks are standardized regardless of which day they file. It actually helps you because you can claim benefits for the partial week before you filed.
0 coins
NeonNova
Just remember you still need to meet all the job search requirements even while your claim is being processed. Don't skip that part thinking you have time to figure it out later.
0 coins
Andre Moreau
One important thing to add - when you do start filing your weekly claims, make sure you're being completely honest about any work or income you had during each week. Even if you worked just one day or made a small amount of money, you need to report it. NYS Department of Labor will cross-reference with employers and the IRS, and failing to report income can result in overpayment penalties and potential fraud charges. It's better to report everything upfront and let them calculate your reduced benefit amount than to risk complications later.
0 coins