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!

Wow, reading through all these responses really shows how broken the NY unemployment system is. I'm dealing with something similar - ID.me verified me back in June and I'm still stuck in "pending" hell. It's insane that we all have to become experts in navigating bureaucracy just to get benefits we've paid into. From what everyone's saying, it sounds like the ID.me verification is just step one, and there can be multiple invisible holds on your account that only phone reps can see. Since you got that email about potential identity theft, you probably have a fraud flag that needs manual review. I'm definitely going to try that claimyr service everyone keeps mentioning - seems like it's worth the cost if it actually gets you through to a human. Also had no idea about contacting state senators until reading this thread. OP, don't give up! The system wants us to quit but we're entitled to these benefits. Keep certifying weekly and try every avenue people have suggested. This thread has been more helpful than months of trying to navigate the DOL website. We're all in this together!

This whole thread is incredibly eye-opening and frustrating at the same time. I'm a newcomer here but going through something very similar - ID.me verified me back in early August and I'm still stuck in that "pending" status with zero communication from DOL. Reading everyone's experiences makes it clear this isn't just bad luck, it's a systematically broken system designed to wear us down. What really gets me is that we're all having to crowdsource solutions to access benefits we've literally paid into through our paychecks. The fact that ID.me verification is apparently just the first step, and there can be multiple invisible holds that only phone reps can see, is absolutely ridiculous. No wonder so many people give up. I'm definitely going to try the claimyr service and contact my state senator based on all the success stories here. It's wild that these "hacks" aren't officially communicated anywhere. Thank you to everyone who took the time to share detailed advice - this thread has been more helpful than months of trying to navigate the DOL website on my own. OP, I really hope you get this resolved soon. The eviction threat adds such unnecessary stress to an already impossible situation. Keep fighting - we're all rooting for you!

I'm in almost the exact same boat - got laid off in November and my severance package runs until the end of March. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly helpful and reassuring! I've already started preparing by setting up my my.ny.gov account and organizing all my termination documents. One thing I learned from my HR department that might be useful for others - they confirmed that as long as you're receiving any form of severance payment (even if it's just $1), you're typically not eligible for unemployment benefits during that period. But the moment those payments stop, you can file immediately. I'm planning to file on April 1st if my last severance payment is March 31st. The advice about keeping detailed records of severance payment dates and starting to prepare job search documentation early is spot on - I'm already creating a folder with potential job postings and company research so I'm ready to hit the ground running with the work search requirements. It's definitely nerve-wracking thinking about the transition, but all these success stories give me confidence that the process will work out smoothly!

I went through this exact same process in New York about 6 months ago! You can absolutely file for unemployment once your severance payments end in February. The most important thing is to file your initial claim immediately after your last severance payment - don't wait even a few days or you could miss out on benefits. When I applied through my.ny.gov, they asked very detailed questions about my severance including exact amounts and payment dates, so definitely keep all that documentation handy. One thing that really helped me was calling my former employer's HR department a few weeks before my severance ended just to confirm the exact final payment date - sometimes there can be confusion if vacation payouts or other compensation are included in that last payment. Also, start preparing your job search documentation now! NYS requires you to be actively looking for work from the very first week you claim benefits, and having a head start on researching companies and potential opportunities will make that much easier. My claim was approved within about 2 weeks and I received my first payment shortly after. Since you were laid off rather than terminated for cause, your situation should be pretty straightforward. The key is just being organized and filing promptly once that severance officially ends!