When to certify for unemployment - NYS Department of Labor weekly claim timing confusion

You certify for the week that just ended, not the current week. So if today is Tuesday, you'd be certifying for the previous Sunday through Saturday period. NYS Department of Labor typically opens the weekly certification on Sunday mornings around 7:30 AM for the week that ended the day before. You have until the following Saturday to complete your weekly claim, but it's best to do it early in the week to avoid any technical issues.

yeah i think you certify on sundays but honestly the my.ny.gov site is so confusing with all the dates, sometimes i just log in and if theres a button to certify i click it lol

The certification process can be tricky when you first start. Since you were approved Tuesday, you'll likely have a partial week to certify for this coming Sunday. NYS Department of Labor will show you exactly which dates you're certifying for when you log in. Make sure you're answering the questions accurately - did you work any days, did you look for work, were you able and available for work. These answers directly affect your benefit amount.

UGH the whole weekly certification thing is such a pain! I've been dealing with NYS Department of Labor for months and half the time their system is down on Sunday mornings when you're supposed to certify. Then you have to call and try to get through to someone to explain why you certified late. It's like they make it as difficult as possible on purpose!!!

Just to add - make sure you certify every single week even if you worked some days or think you might not be eligible that week. NYS Department of Labor requires continuous weekly certifications to maintain your claim. If you skip weeks, you could lose benefits entirely and have to refile your whole claim.

@Ravi Sharma - Since you were approved on Tuesday, you'll want to wait until this Sunday to do your first certification. That first week will likely be a partial week covering just the days from when your claim was effective through Saturday. The key thing to remember is that NYS Department of Labor always has you certify AFTER the week ends, never during or before. So this Sunday you'll certify for the week that ended Saturday, and every Sunday after that you'll follow the same pattern. The system will clearly show you the exact date range when you log in to certify, so you'll know for sure which days you're reporting on.

One tip that helped me when I first started - set a phone reminder for every Sunday morning to do your weekly certification. NYS Department of Labor's system is usually most reliable early Sunday morning (around 8-9 AM) before everyone logs in later in the day. Also, keep a simple calendar or note on your phone tracking which week you're certifying for each time - it really helps avoid confusion, especially in the beginning when the timing feels backwards. The routine becomes second nature after a few weeks, but those first certifications can definitely feel overwhelming!

I went through the exact same confusion when I first started my NYS unemployment claim! What really helped me was understanding that you're always certifying backwards - so when you certify on Sunday, you're telling them about the previous Sunday through Saturday week that just ended. The my.ny.gov portal will actually show you the specific dates you're certifying for right at the top when you log in, which removes all the guesswork. Since you were approved Tuesday, your first certification this Sunday will probably cover just a few days (Tuesday through Saturday). Don't stress too much about the timing - the system is pretty clear once you're actually in it, and you have all week to complete your certification if Sunday doesn't work out for some reason.