Thanks for the update! This is super helpful - I was literally in the same exact boat last week but chickened out and didn't change my bank info because I was too worried about timing. Seeing that it worked for you gives me confidence to finally make the switch. The fact that you changed it Thursday and still got paid Tuesday in the new account is exactly what I needed to know. Definitely going to take that screenshot advice too!

This whole thread has been so reassuring! I'm dealing with a bank merger situation where my routing number is changing next month, so I'll need to update my direct deposit info too. Based on everyone's experiences here, it sounds like the key is giving yourself at least a few days between making the change and your certification date. Really appreciate everyone sharing their real experiences - the official unemployment website is pretty vague about timing for these changes.

I just went through this process recently and wanted to share what I learned. You definitely cannot collect both simultaneously - it's one or the other. The key thing NYS Department of Labor looks at is that "able and available for work" certification you do every week. If you're applying for disability, you're essentially saying you can't work, which directly contradicts that certification. Here's what I'd recommend: before making any moves, calculate which benefit would give you more money and for how long. Sometimes unemployment might be better short-term while you look for work you can do with limitations, while disability might be better if your condition is expected to last a long time. Also, if you do switch to disability, make sure you understand whether it's temporary or permanent - if it's temporary, you might be able to go back to unemployment later. The most important thing is to be completely transparent with both agencies about your situation to avoid any fraud issues.

I was in a similar situation about a year ago and learned this the hard way. You absolutely cannot collect both - I actually got a letter from NYS Department of Labor when they found out I had applied for disability, and they made it very clear that I needed to choose one or the other immediately. What saved me from potential fraud charges was that I called them right away to explain the situation and stopped certifying for unemployment that same week. The process was stressful because there's definitely an income gap - my disability took about 8 weeks to get approved, so I had two months with no income at all. If you're considering this switch, I'd suggest: 1) Talk to a disability lawyer first (most offer free consultations), 2) Calculate whether disability would actually pay more than your remaining unemployment weeks, 3) Make sure you have enough savings to cover the gap period, and 4) Be completely upfront with NYS Department of Labor about your intentions. Don't try to fly under the radar - they do cross-reference these systems and it's not worth the fraud risk.

Just make sure you're honest about the seasonal nature of your work when filing. NYS Department of Labor takes misrepresentation seriously and you don't want issues later on.

I work seasonal at a beach resort and have filed for unemployment during off-seasons multiple times. One important thing to know is that you should file your claim immediately after your last day of work - don't wait even a day because benefits don't start until you file. Also, keep all your employment records from the ski resort including pay stubs and any documentation about your expected return date next season. When you're doing your weekly certifications, you'll need to report that you're temporarily laid off but expect to return to the same employer. The system will ask you specific questions about seasonal work during the application process.

Just wanted to add that you can also appeal your benefit calculation if you think there's an error. I had to do this when they missed including wages from a job where I worked the last few weeks of a quarter. The appeal process took about 6 weeks but they corrected my weekly amount from $298 to $421. Make sure to gather all your pay stubs and W-2s before filing an appeal though - they'll want documentation of all your earnings during the base period. The deadline to appeal is usually 30 days from when you receive your monetary determination letter.

One thing that caught me off guard was that the base period might not be what you expect - it's not the most recent four quarters, but the first four of the last five completed quarters. So there's actually a lag period where your most recent earnings might not count yet. When I filed in March, they were looking at my earnings from the previous January through December, not including January-February of the current year. This is called the "standard base period." If your earnings were higher in more recent quarters, you might be able to request they use the "alternate base period" which shifts everything forward by one quarter. Worth asking about if you think your recent earnings would give you a higher benefit rate!

I'm on day 2 of my unemployment claim review and honestly, finding this thread has been such a relief! I was starting to panic thinking maybe I missed something in my application or that the "under review" status meant there was a problem. It's really comforting to see so many people sharing similar experiences and that the 7-10 business day timeline seems pretty standard for layoff cases. I got laid off from my marketing job due to budget cuts, so hopefully that should be straightforward like everyone's saying. The lack of transparency from NYS DOL is definitely frustrating - even a simple progress indicator would help so much with the anxiety. Thanks to everyone who's shared their timelines and experiences here. It really helps to know this waiting period is normal even though it feels like torture when you're worried about paying rent!

I'm on day 10 of waiting for my unemployment claim review after being laid off from my retail job when the store closed permanently. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly reassuring! It sounds like I'm right at the edge of that typical 7-10 business day window that most people have mentioned. The "under review" status has been driving me absolutely crazy - I've definitely been one of those people checking the portal multiple times a day hoping for some kind of update. It's wild how much stress this process creates when you're already dealing with the uncertainty of unemployment. The suggestion about limiting portal checks to once daily is brilliant and something I really need to implement. Thanks to everyone who shared their timelines - it really helps to know this waiting period is completely normal even though it feels endless when bills are piling up!