Just went through this same situation about 3 weeks ago! The key thing is to file your new claim as soon as your benefit year ends - don't wait. I made the mistake of waiting a few days thinking I needed some kind of official notice, but you can file immediately. The whole process took me about 30 minutes online. One tip: have your bank account info ready because they'll ask if you want direct deposit set up again. Also, if you've been keeping track of your job search activities, make sure you have those records handy because they might ask about what you've been doing to look for work. The waiting period for the new claim was only about a week for me, much faster than my original claim last year.

I just went through the refiling process last month and wanted to add a few things that helped me. First, make sure you file your new claim during business hours if possible - I tried filing late at night and kept getting system timeouts. Second, when they ask about your reason for unemployment, be specific about your job search efforts since your benefit year ended. They want to see you've been actively looking. Also, don't panic if your new weekly benefit amount is different from your old claim - they recalculate everything based on your most recent base period wages. The whole thing felt overwhelming at first but it's really just like filing your very first claim all over again. Good luck!

medical coding is probably a good choice right now, lots of healthcare jobs. but definitely get the approval first like everyone is saying

I went through the training benefits process last year and wanted to share some tips that might help. First, the approval process Miguel asked about typically takes 2-3 weeks, so definitely apply before your program starts. Second, there are actually two main pathways - the Training Extension Benefits (TEB) that Zainab mentioned, and also Trade Adjustment Assistance (TAA) if your job loss was due to foreign trade impact. For medical coding specifically, that's usually approved since healthcare is a high-demand field. The key is to have all your paperwork ready - enrollment letter from the training provider, course curriculum, and evidence that it leads to employment in your area. Also, keep copies of everything because you'll need to submit progress reports to maintain your benefits.

I'm currently going through this exact situation too - been suspended without pay for 3 days now while my employer investigates some allegations. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been so incredibly helpful and reassuring! I was really stressed about whether I could even file since I'm technically still employed, but it's clear from all these success stories that unpaid suspension definitely qualifies for NYS unemployment benefits. I'm planning to file my claim tomorrow and will follow all the great advice here - be completely transparent, select "temporarily laid off" with a detailed explanation, have my employer's contact info ready, and document everything. It's such a relief to know that so many people have navigated this successfully. Thank you all for sharing your experiences and creating such a supportive community - knowing I'm not alone in this situation really helps reduce the anxiety while waiting for my investigation to conclude!

I just want to echo what everyone else has said here - you absolutely can and should file for unemployment benefits while suspended without pay. I went through this same situation about 6 months ago when I was suspended for 3 weeks pending a workplace investigation. The most important things I learned: 1) File immediately since there's typically a waiting period, 2) Be completely honest about the suspension when applying, 3) Select "temporarily laid off" and explain the situation clearly in the comments, and 4) Keep all documentation from your employer about the timeline. NYS DOL treats unpaid suspension the same as temporary layoffs since you're not receiving wages but are available for work. The employer verification call is just routine - nothing to stress about. I was approved within about a week and the whole process was much smoother than expected. Don't let uncertainty keep you from filing - you're in exactly the situation these benefits are designed to help with!

I've been using Chime for my NY unemployment benefits for about 4 months now and can definitely confirm what everyone is saying about the faster processing times! Coming from Chase where I'd wait the full 3-5 days every time, Chime has been a lifesaver. In my experience, I usually see the funds within 18-36 hours after getting the DOL release notification. The fastest was about 14 hours, and that was when DOL released it early on a Tuesday morning. I've noticed that weekday releases tend to process faster than Friday releases (probably because of weekend processing schedules). One thing that really helped reduce my stress was setting up automatic bill pay for a few days after my usual unemployment deposit schedule. Since Chime is so consistent with the timing, I can actually plan around it now instead of constantly worrying about when the money will hit. Maya, based on your morning notification timing and everyone else's experiences here, I'd bet you'll see your funds by tomorrow morning at the latest. The predictability with Chime has been such a relief during an already stressful time!

Just wanted to jump in here as someone who recently switched to Chime specifically for unemployment benefits after reading threads like this one! I was with TD Bank before and the difference is night and day. With TD, I would consistently wait 4-5 business days and sometimes even longer if there were any system issues on their end. I've only been using Chime for about 6 weeks now, but my NY unemployment deposits have been hitting my account within 24-48 hours every single time after the DOL release notification. The fastest was about 20 hours, which happened when DOL released the payment on a Tuesday morning around 10am (similar to Maya's timing). What really sold me on Chime was reading all these real experiences from people in the same situation. The uncertainty of traditional bank timing was causing me so much anxiety - especially when rent or utilities were due. Now I can actually budget and plan with confidence knowing the money will be there when I need it. Maya, congrats on getting your funds so quickly! For anyone else considering the switch to Chime for this reason, I can definitely recommend it based on my experience so far. The peace of mind alone is worth it when you're already dealing with unemployment stress.

I'm in a similar situation and just wanted to share what I learned from calling the DOL directly. They told me to definitely check if you qualify for a new benefit year first - log into your NY.gov account and look at your monetary determination. If you worked enough hours and earned enough wages since your original claim started, you might be eligible for a fresh 26 weeks. Also, while you're figuring this out, make sure to apply for other assistance programs ASAP - SNAP, emergency rental assistance, utility help through HEAP, etc. The wait times for some of these programs can be long so get your applications in now. Don't let pride stop you from getting help while you're still job searching!

Check your online account ASAP to see if you can file a new claim! I was in the exact same situation last month - hit my 26 weeks and panicked. Turns out I had worked enough part-time hours during my original claim period to qualify for a brand new benefit year. The system doesn't automatically tell you this, you have to manually check. Log into your NY.gov account, look at your wage history, and if you see enough recent wages you can file a completely new claim. Also, don't wait on applying for SNAP and other programs - I made that mistake and it took 3 weeks to get approved. The gap between benefits ending and new assistance starting is brutal so get those applications in immediately. You've got this!