I'm really moved by how supportive and helpful everyone has been in this thread! As someone who recently went through the NYS Department of Labor unemployment process after being terminated for attendance issues related to caring for an elderly parent, I wanted to add my encouragement as well. Like so many others here have shared, I was initially convinced that being fired would automatically disqualify me from benefits. But after reading advice similar to what's been shared here, I decided to file anyway - and I'm so grateful I did! The adjudication process took about 4 weeks for me, and the interviewer was very thorough but fair in asking about my work history, the circumstances leading to my termination, and the caregiving responsibilities that affected my attendance. Being completely honest about my situation and providing documentation like medical appointments for my parent really helped my case. What made the biggest difference was being able to show that I had communicated with my employer about my caregiving situation and that my attendance issues were directly related to circumstances beyond my control, not willful misconduct. I was ultimately approved for benefits, which provided crucial financial support while I searched for a new job with more flexible scheduling. Don't let fear of rejection stop you from applying - you've paid into this system and deserve to have your case evaluated fairly based on your individual circumstances!

I'm so sorry you're going through this stressful situation! From everything I've read about NYS unemployment law, getting fired for attendance issues doesn't automatically disqualify you from benefits - it really depends on whether the Department of Labor determines it was "misconduct" or circumstances beyond your reasonable control. Since you mentioned you were dealing with personal issues that affected your punctuality, that context could be really important for your case. The key is to file your claim immediately (like today if possible) and be completely honest about both the attendance problems AND the personal circumstances that contributed to them during the adjudication process. Even if your employer contests the claim, you still have a good chance if you can show this wasn't willful misconduct but rather a difficult situation you were trying to manage. You've been paying into the unemployment system and deserve to have your case evaluated fairly. The worst they can do is deny it, but then you can appeal - and you'll never know unless you try. Don't let the fear of rejection stop you from accessing benefits you may be entitled to while you look for new work!

This entire thread has been incredibly reassuring! I'm currently on day 4 of waiting for my waiting week to be released and was starting to really worry about the whole process. Seeing Henrietta's actual timeline - waiting week released on Tuesday, first payment received Friday - gives me so much more confidence than the vague information on the NYSDOL website. It's also really helpful to see the warnings about potential delays and flags that might need manual clearing. I've got direct deposit set up and have been certifying weekly, so hopefully when my waiting week gets released I'll have a similarly smooth 3-day experience. This thread should honestly be pinned somewhere because it has way more useful real-world information than any official documentation I've found. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences, both good and frustrating - it really helps newcomers like me know what to expect!

This thread is absolutely amazing - thank you everyone for sharing real timelines and experiences! I'm currently in week 3 of waiting for my waiting week to be released and was getting really anxious about the whole process. Seeing Henrietta's successful 3-day turnaround from waiting week release (Tuesday) to first payment (Friday) gives me so much hope! It's also really valuable to see both the success stories and the warnings about potential system issues that might require calling. I've been religiously certifying every week and have direct deposit set up, so hopefully when my turn comes I'll have a similarly smooth experience. The fact that multiple people here had the same 3 business day timeline really helps set realistic expectations. This thread has more useful information than hours of searching through the confusing NYSDOL website - you all are lifesavers!

I went through this same situation a few months ago and it's definitely stressful when you see "exhausted" with no warning. One thing that helped me was logging into the NY.gov portal and checking under "Payment History" - it shows exactly how much of your benefit amount you've used up versus what was originally approved. Also, if you do get a determination letter in the mail, read it carefully because it will tell you the specific reason (monetary exhaustion vs benefit year end) and what options you might have. In my case, I had to wait and work for a few months before I could file a new claim, but at least I knew where I stood.

I'm dealing with this exact same situation right now and it's so stressful! Mine just switched to "exhausted" status yesterday and I had no idea what it meant. Reading through all these responses is really helpful - it sounds like I need to check my payment history to see if I hit my monetary limit or if it's something else. Has anyone here had luck getting extensions when regular benefits run out? I'm worried about what I'm going to do if there aren't any other options available.

Weekly claims can be filed starting Sunday for the previous week. So if you're eligible this week, you'd file your first weekly claim this coming Sunday. Make sure you have your job search activities documented since you'll need to report those when you file.

One thing to keep in mind is that even if your status shows "Active," you might still see some delays in your first payment while they verify your employment history and wages. This is totally normal! I'd also recommend setting up direct deposit if you haven't already - it's much faster than waiting for a debit card to arrive in the mail. You can do this through the same my.ny.gov portal under payment preferences.

I'm dealing with this same issue right now and it's so stressful! My benefit year ends in February and I've been losing sleep over it. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been really eye-opening. It sounds like the main takeaway is to file the new claim during that last week before your benefit year actually ends to avoid any payment gaps. @Millie Long your advice about gathering employment info beforehand is great - I'll start putting that together now so I'm not scrambling later. Has anyone had experience with what happens if you're working part-time when your benefit year ends? I've been doing some freelance work here and there but still need the unemployment support. Do I still file a new claim or does having any income complicate things?

This thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm a newcomer here and my benefit year is ending next month, so this is exactly what I needed to read. From what I'm gathering, the most important things are: 1) File your new claim during the last week of your current benefit year (not after it ends), 2) Any remaining balance from your old claim doesn't carry over, 3) Your new weekly benefit amount will be recalculated based on wages from a new base period, and 4) Getting through to NYS Department of Labor by phone is nearly impossible right now. I really appreciate everyone sharing their real experiences with this process - it's so much more helpful than trying to decipher the confusing information on the official website. I'm definitely going to start gathering all my employment documentation now so I'm prepared when the time comes to file my new claim.