I totally get the frustration! I'm also dealing with the weekly certification process and it definitely feels overwhelming at first. One thing that helped me was setting up a calendar reminder for the same day/time each week so it becomes routine. Also, the good news is that most weeks the questions are pretty much the same - did you work, are you able to work, are you looking for work, etc. Once you get the hang of it, it only takes a few minutes. Just don't let yourself get behind because catching up is way more stressful than staying current!

Just wanted to add that you can actually certify for benefits online through the NY.gov website which makes it way more convenient than having to call in. I usually do mine on Sunday mornings while having coffee - takes maybe 3-5 minutes once you get used to it. The system will also send you email reminders if you sign up for notifications, which has saved me a couple times when I almost forgot. And yes, you do have to keep doing it every single week until you either get a job, your benefits run out, or your claim year expires. It's tedious but it's just part of the process unfortunately.

Based on your work history, you might actually qualify! With 8 months at $15/hour for 20-25 hours weekly, that's roughly $300-375 per week in gross wages. Over 8 months, you likely earned well over the $2,600 base period requirement. Your weekly benefit would be 50% of your average weekly wage during your highest quarter, so potentially around $150-180 per week rather than the $104 minimum. Definitely worth applying - you can do it online at my.ny.gov and it only takes about 30 minutes to complete the initial application.

Also keep in mind that you need to be unemployed through no fault of your own to qualify. If you were laid off or your hours were cut, that should work in your favor. But if you quit voluntarily, you might face additional hurdles. When you apply, they'll ask for your reason for separation from employment, so make sure you're honest about the circumstances. The good news is that even if your initial claim gets denied, you can appeal the decision if you think it was wrong.

Just keep filing your weekly claims religiously, even if nothing is happening with your main claim. I learned that the hard way - missed a week and had to do all this paperwork to get it back. Also make sure you're doing your job searches because they'll ask about that later.

I'm in a similar situation - filed my claim about 10 days ago and still haven't heard anything back. The online portal just says "pending" with no timeline. What's frustrating is that there's no way to know if you're in the normal 2-3 week processing window or if something is wrong with your application. I've been calling the helpline but can never get through. Has anyone found a way to actually speak to someone at the NYS Department of Labor?

Been through this exact same thing! I was so paranoid when I started my new job and saw the unemployment office contacted my employer. Turns out it's literally just a routine verification form - they're closing the loop on your claim to make sure you're not still collecting while working. My boss didn't even mention it to me, HR just handled it like any other paperwork. You're overthinking it (I did too!) but there's really nothing to stress about here.

I went through this same anxiety when I started my new position last year. The unemployment office sent a standard "Request for Separation Information" form to my employer, but it's literally just asking for basic employment verification - start date, wage, etc. My HR department told me they get these all the time and it's completely routine. They're not sharing details about your unemployment claim or making any judgments. It's just the state closing out your file to prevent overpayments. Your new employer won't think twice about it, trust me!

my cousin got laid off last month and honestly she seems happier job hunting than she was at her toxic workplace. maybe thats what they mean about some unemployment being ok?

This is fascinating - I never realized there was a distinction between "full employment" and 0% unemployment. @Laura Lopez thanks for explaining that full employment just means people can find work in a reasonable time frame. It makes me wonder though - how does NYS Department of Labor measure whether we're at that "healthy" unemployment level? Do they have specific metrics they track beyond just the basic unemployment rate? And for those of us dealing with claim processing delays, is there any way to know if our situation is factored into these economic calculations, or are we just statistics in a different category?