Where to apply for unemployment benefits near me - NYS Department of Labor locations?

You don't need to visit a physical NYS Department of Labor office anymore - everything is done online through the my.ny.gov website. Just go to labor.ny.gov and click on the unemployment services link. You'll need your Social Security number, driver's license, and employment history for the past 18 months including employer names, addresses, and dates of employment. The online system is available 24/7 which is much more convenient than the old days of waiting in line at offices.

File as soon as possible! Your benefit year starts the week you file your claim, not when you lost your job. So every day you wait is potentially money you're leaving on the table. You can always go back and update information if needed, but get that initial claim filed ASAP through the NYS Department of Labor website.

just a heads up the website can be really slow during peak hours especially monday mornings when everyone is filing their weekly claims. try logging in during off hours if you can

I had trouble reaching someone at NYS Department of Labor when I had questions about my claim status. Kept getting busy signals and the callback system never worked. A friend told me about this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helps you get through to actual agents. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Might be useful if you run into issues and need to speak with someone directly about your application.

Also make sure you understand the job search requirements from day one. You'll need to do at least 3 job search activities per week and keep a log of everything. Don't wait until your first weekly claim to figure this out - start job searching immediately even while your claim is processing.