One thing that really helped me was connecting with other people in similar situations. There are actually some good networking groups for unemployed professionals in the NYC area, and many meet virtually now. It helps to talk to people who understand what you're going through instead of just family members who mean well but don't really get it. Also, if you're having trouble reaching NYS Department of Labor for any claim issues, I recently discovered this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helps you get through to agents when the phone lines are jammed. They have a demo video at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works.

Been there and it sucks but it does get better!! What helped me was treating job searching like a part-time job - work on it in the morning when I had the most energy, then give myself permission to do other things in the afternoon. I also kept a journal of small wins - even if it was just 'applied to 3 jobs today' or 'updated my resume.' Those little accomplishments add up and help you see progress even when you're not getting interviews yet.

The whole NYS Department of Labor system is a joke! They make it so complicated just to get YOUR OWN MONEY that you paid into the system. Half the time their website crashes when you're trying to file your weekly claim and then they act like it's your fault when payments get delayed.

Just to clarify for everyone - unemployment checks are really unemployment payments now since most people use direct deposit. The payment amount is based on your earnings history over the past 18 months, with a maximum weekly benefit of $504 in NY for 2025. You can receive these payments for up to 26 weeks as long as you continue to meet the job search requirements and file your weekly claims on time.

Just went through this whole process myself. Getting through to someone at NYS Department of Labor to ask questions about benefit amounts was impossible with their phone system. I kept getting hung up on after waiting forever. Finally used claimyr.com to get through to an actual agent who explained everything clearly. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Made the whole process so much easier than trying to navigate the system alone.

also dont forget you can only collect for 26 weeks max in ny unless theres some special program going on. and you have to do the work search stuff every week or they'll cut you off

honestly the whole economic system is rigged anyway, lower rates just help rich people and corporations while we're scraping by on unemployment. my claim got stuck in adjudication for 6 weeks and they act like $400 a week is some kind of luxury

same boat here, been worried about everything affecting my benefits lately

Just remember you have to file your weekly claims every week and do your job search activities or they'll cut off your benefits even if you qualified for the maximum amount initially.

The whole NYS Department of Labor system is so confusing!! I wish they would just tell you upfront what you'll get instead of making you guess. Good luck with your claim, hope you get approved quickly and don't have to deal with adjudication delays like so many people here.