Where to go for unemployment benefits in New York - need help starting my claim
Lost my job yesterday and I'm completely lost about where to go for unemployment benefits. I've never filed before and don't know if I should go somewhere in person or do it online? My manager said something about the state labor department but I'm not sure what website or office to go to. Do I need to bring documents with me somewhere or can I do everything from home? Really stressed about this whole process and could use some guidance on the first steps.
10 comments
Join the conversation
Aaliyah Jackson
You'll want to go to the NYS Department of Labor website at labor.ny.gov to file your initial claim online. There's no need to go anywhere in person unless you have specific issues that require an office visit. You'll need your Social Security number, driver's license, and employment information from your last job including dates and reason for separation. The online system is available 24/7 so you can file anytime.
0 coins
Giovanni Rossi
•Thank you! Should I file right away or wait a few days? My last day was Friday but I'm not sure if there's a waiting period or anything.
0 coins
KylieRose
File as soon as possible! There's a one week waiting period but your benefit year starts from when you file your initial claim, not when you lost your job. You'll also need to create an account on my.ny.gov if you don't already have one - that's the portal you'll use for everything NYS Department of Labor related including filing your weekly claims.
0 coins
Miguel Hernández
•This is so confusing, I tried filing last week and got stuck on some verification step. The website kept asking for additional documents but wouldn't tell me what exactly they needed.
0 coins
KylieRose
•That's usually an identity verification issue. You might need to upload a copy of your driver's license or Social Security card. Check your my.ny.gov messages - they usually send specific instructions there about what documents they need.
0 coins
Sasha Ivanov
Been trying to get through to NYS Department of Labor for weeks about my claim status and their phone system is terrible! Hours on hold just to get disconnected. Recently found this service called Claimyr at claimyr.com that actually got me through to a real person at the unemployment office. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Saved me so much frustration dealing with the busy phone lines.
0 coins
Liam Murphy
•Never heard of that service before but anything is better than sitting on hold for 3 hours just to get hung up on. The NYS Department of Labor phone system is absolutely broken.
0 coins
Amara Okafor
just go online and fill out the form its not that hard lol took me like 15 minutes
0 coins
Giovanni Rossi
•Thanks, hoping it goes smoothly for me too. Did you have any issues with the job search requirements or weekly claims after filing?
0 coins
CaptainAwesome
Same boat as you last month. The NYS Department of Labor website can be overwhelming at first but once you get through the initial filing it gets easier. Make sure you have your employer's information handy including their unemployment insurance account number if you can find it on your pay stubs. Also be prepared to answer questions about why you lost your job - be honest because they'll verify everything with your employer anyway.
0 coins