honestly the whole system is confusing... i tried to apply when i was in school and they kept asking me weird questions about my availability. took forever to get through to anyone at NYS Department of Labor to explain what they actually wanted

Make sure you're ready to accept work that conflicts with your class schedule if they offer it, because that's what 'able and available' means in practice

Oof, cross-state unemployment issues are the worst. Sending you good vibes, OP! 💖

I went through this exact same situation about 6 months ago! Here's what worked for me: First, make sure you have all your NJ wage statements and employment records ready. NY unemployment will need your complete work history from NJ. The trick is to file your claim with NY first (since that's where you're living now), then they'll request the wage info from NJ automatically through something called the Interstate Connection Network. You shouldn't have to manually send anything between states - they handle that part. BUT if for some reason that automated system isn't working, you can call NY unemployment and specifically ask them to do an "interstate wage request." They have a process for this. Also, pro tip: when you're on hold, use the callback feature if they have one. Saved me hours of sitting by the phone! Hope this helps - the interstate stuff is confusing but once you get it sorted, it should flow smoothly. Good luck! 🍀

Just wanted to chime in with another option that's worked well for me - if you have a credit union account, many of them are part of the CO-OP network which means you can use their ATMs fee-free with your unemployment card too. I bank with a local credit union and their ATMs don't charge any fees when I use my NY unemployment debit card. It's worth checking if your bank or credit union participates in any shared ATM networks. Also, some people don't realize you can split transactions - so if you need $100 but the ATM daily limit is $400, you can do one withdrawal and then immediately do another if needed (just make sure you're at a fee-free ATM first!).

Another helpful tip I discovered - if you need to send money to someone (like paying a friend back or sending money to family), you can use apps like Venmo, Cash App, or Zelle with your unemployment debit card. Just add it as a funding source in the app. This has been super convenient for me when I need to split bills with roommates or pay someone back quickly. Most of these apps don't charge fees for standard transfers, though some might have small fees for instant transfers. Just make sure to keep track of your spending since it's easy to forget about app purchases when checking your card balance later!

I'm at week 23 and this thread couldn't have come at a better time! Reading everyone's experiences has made it clear that I need to stop procrastinating and start dealing with this NOW instead of waiting until the last minute. The consensus seems pretty clear - don't trust the "automatic" system, keep certifying weekly no matter what, document everything, and actually talk to a human being to confirm your extension eligibility. That claimyr service honestly sounds like a lifesaver given how impossible it seems to be to get through on the regular phone line. What's really frustrating is how the official DOL website and resources are basically useless for getting real answers about this stuff. Thank god for communities like this where people actually share what works! I'm definitely going to try the claimyr callback service this week and start getting my job search documentation way more organized. Better to spend $20 and a little time now than potentially miss rent next month because of a gap in payments. Marilyn, thanks for asking the question we're all stressed about! Hope you get through to someone soon and get your extension approved. This whole situation is stressful enough without having to navigate such a broken system on top of it.

I'm at week 15 and honestly this whole thread has been both a blessing and a curse - so much helpful info but also realizing how broken this system really is! 😰 The fact that EVERYONE is saying don't trust the automatic extension process is pretty telling. I was totally planning to just coast until week 26 and hope for the best, but clearly that's a recipe for disaster. That claimyr service keeps coming up and at this point I'm convinced it's worth trying. $20 to avoid the phone hell everyone describes sounds like a bargain, especially when missing even one week of payments could mean choosing between rent and groceries. What really gets me is how the DOL website is basically designed to confuse people. Like, why is it so hard to find clear information about something as basic as benefit extensions? It feels like they're hoping we'll just give up and stop claiming. Thanks Marilyn for starting this conversation - you've basically done the research the state should have provided us with! Going to start documenting my job search way better and try to get answers before I hit the panic zone. This community has been more helpful than any official resource I've found! 💪

Just want to thank everyone in this thread for the clear explanations! I was having the exact same confusion as the OP. I kept checking my payment statements thinking there was an error. Now I understand that the NY tax relief only applies to STATE taxes and only when we file our 2025 tax returns - not the weekly payments. The federal withholding (usually 10%) continues as normal unless we change our settings. I think I'll keep my federal withholding active too since I don't want to deal with a big tax bill next April. Really appreciate this community helping each other figure out these confusing government policies!

This whole situation is exactly why government communications need to be clearer! The Governor's announcement should have explicitly stated "STATE tax relief only - federal withholding continues unchanged." I spent way too much time thinking my account was messed up. For anyone else just finding this thread: the bottom line is that NY is waiving STATE income tax on unemployment benefits for 2025, but this only shows up as savings when you file your state tax return next year, NOT on your weekly payments. Federal taxes (usually 10%) are completely separate and will continue being withheld unless you change your settings. Thanks to everyone who explained this so clearly!