When should you file unemployment with NYS Department of Labor - timing questions
I'm really confused about the timing for filing my unemployment claim with NYS Department of Labor. I got laid off last Friday but my severance pay doesn't run out until next month. Should I wait until the severance ends to file, or can I file now? Also, does it matter what day of the week I submit my application? I keep seeing conflicting information online and don't want to mess this up since I've never had to file for unemployment before.
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Brady Clean
You should file your claim as soon as possible after becoming unemployed, even if you're receiving severance pay. The NYS Department of Labor has a waiting week, and your benefit year starts from when you file, not when you start receiving payments. You'll need to report the severance when you do your weekly claims, which might delay payments, but filing early protects your claim date.
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Molly Hansen
•Thank you! So I should file this week even though I'm getting severance? I was worried it would cause problems with my claim.
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Skylar Neal
yeah definitely file asap! i made the mistake of waiting when i got laid off and lost like 3 weeks of potential benefits. the nys department of labor processes take forever anyway so get in line early
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Vincent Bimbach
File immediately but understand that severance pay will be deducted from your weekly benefit amount during the weeks you receive it. The key thing is establishing your claim date - you can't backdate unemployment claims in New York, so every week you wait is a potential week of benefits lost. Use the my.ny.gov website to file online, it's much faster than calling.
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Kelsey Chin
•This is so confusing! How do they even know about severance pay? Do I have to report it myself during the weekly claims?
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Vincent Bimbach
•Yes, you report all income including severance when you file your weekly claims. NYS Department of Labor also gets wage information from employers, so it's important to be honest about any payments you receive.
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Norah Quay
I had a similar situation last year and ended up having issues with NYS Department of Labor because I couldn't get through on the phone to ask questions. Spent hours trying to call and either got busy signals or got disconnected after waiting forever. Finally found this service called Claimyr at claimyr.com that actually got me connected to a real person at NYS Department of Labor within minutes. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Really helped me sort out my timing questions without the usual phone frustration.
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Molly Hansen
•That sounds really helpful! I was dreading trying to call them with all my questions about the severance situation.
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Leo McDonald
The whole system is just designed to make you give up honestly. File now but expect to wait weeks for anything to happen with your claim.
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Jessica Nolan
Just to add - make sure you have all your employment history ready when you file. You'll need dates, wages, and reason for separation for your most recent employers. Having everything organized beforehand makes the application process much smoother.
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StarSurfer
One thing to keep in mind - when you file your initial claim, you'll also need to register for work search requirements. Even though you're receiving severance, NYS Department of Labor typically requires you to be actively looking for work to maintain eligibility. Make sure you understand what counts as valid work search activities and keep records of your job search efforts from day one. The requirements can be pretty strict, so it's better to start documenting your search activities right away rather than scrambling later when your severance ends.
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Giovanni Colombo
•@StarSurfer This is really important info that I hadn't thought about! So even while I'm getting severance pay, I still need to be actively job searching and documenting it? That seems like a lot to manage on top of everything else. Do you know if there are specific requirements for how many job applications I need to submit per week, or is it more flexible than that?
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