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If I could give 10 stars I would If I could give 10 stars I would Such an amazing service so needed during the times when EDD almost never picks up Claimyr gets me on the phone with EDD every time without fail faster. A much needed service without Claimyr I would have never received the payment I needed to support me during my postpartum recovery. Thank you so much Claimyr!
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I tried for weeks to get thru to EDD PFL program with no luck. I gave this a try thinking it may be a scam. OMG! It worked and They got thru within an hour and my claim is going to finally get paid!! I upgraded to the $60 call. Best $60 spent!
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Just make sure you report all your circumstances accurately when you file. NYS Department of Labor will want to know about your employment status, when your leave ended, and when you became available for work. Don't try to file while you're still on active PFL - wait until you're genuinely able and available to accept employment.
I went through something very similar when I had my daughter two years ago. The key thing to understand is timing - you absolutely cannot collect unemployment benefits while you're still receiving paid family leave payments, even if you know your job is being eliminated. NYS Department of Labor considers you "not available for work" while on PFL. You have to wait until your family leave period officially ends and you're ready to return to work before filing your UI claim. When you do file, make sure to clearly explain the sequence of events - that you were employed, went on PFL, then became unemployed due to layoffs after your leave period. The department will verify your base period wages separately from any PFL payments you received.
This is really helpful, thank you! So just to be clear - if my PFL ends next week and I'm officially laid off, I should wait until after my leave period ends to file the unemployment claim, right? I don't want to mess this up and get denied benefits because of timing issues.
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This system is so broken!! I've been waiting 3 months for payments and every time I call they give me a different excuse. First it was ID verification, then job search requirements, now they're saying something about my employer response. Meanwhile I'm behind on everything and they act like it's no big deal.
I feel you completely. The NYS Department of Labor system is a nightmare to navigate when you actually need help.
I'm going through something similar right now - filed for 3 weeks, everything shows processed but no payments. After reading through these comments I'm going to check my inbox more carefully for any verification requests I might have missed. It's so frustrating that the system can show "approved" when there are still backend issues preventing payment. Has anyone found the best time of day to try calling the NYS Department of Labor? I've been trying mornings but maybe there's a better window.
I've had better luck calling right when they open at 8am or around 4pm before they close. The mid-day hours seem to be the worst. Also try calling on Tuesday or Wednesday - Mondays are usually swamped. Make sure to have your social and claim confirmation number ready because they'll ask for it right away. Good luck getting through!
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I'm in a similar situation - have a felony from 2020 and recently became unemployed. Reading through these responses is really helpful and encouraging. It sounds like the key is that unemployment benefits are based on your work history and contributions, not your criminal background. I was also worried about applying but now I feel more confident about filing my claim. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences!
You're absolutely right to feel more confident! I was in a similar boat a few months ago and was so anxious about applying. But like everyone here has said, the NYS Department of Labor really does focus on your work eligibility and contributions rather than criminal history. The application process was much smoother than I expected. One tip - make sure you have all your employment information ready (dates, employer details, reason for separation) before you start the online application. It makes the whole process go much faster. Good luck with your claim!
I went through this exact situation in 2022 with a felony from 2017. Filed my claim online and was approved without any issues - they never asked about criminal history during the entire process. The only time it comes up is when you're job searching and have to disclose to employers, but that's separate from your unemployment eligibility. NYS Department of Labor really does base everything on your work credits and why you lost your job. Since you were working steadily and paying into the system, you should definitely apply. Don't let worry hold you back from getting benefits you've earned through your work contributions.
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Yeah the whole system is designed so employers can't mess with your benefits once you qualify. They already paid into the system through their payroll taxes. NYS Department of Labor handles everything from there. Your benefit amount is calculated from your work history, not whatever your old boss thinks you deserve.
Thanks everyone! This really cleared up my confusion about how the funding works.
Just to add some specific details - NYS employers pay UI taxes on wages up to $12,300 per employee (as of 2024). The tax rate varies by employer based on their "experience rating" - companies with more former employees who claimed unemployment pay higher rates. So while your individual employer isn't writing you a check each week, they definitely contributed to the fund that's paying your benefits. The system is designed to be fair and remove any personal dynamics between you and your former boss from the equation.
Andre Lefebvre
Also make sure you have documentation of any severance pay, vacation payout, or pension distributions you received. The NYS Department of Labor needs to know about any money you got when you left your job because it can affect your benefit start date. This is stuff a lot of people forget about and then wonder why their benefits are delayed.
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Lucas Parker
One thing I learned the hard way - make sure you have your exact dates of employment (start and end dates) written down for each job, not just the months/years. The my.ny.gov system asks for specific dates and if you're off by even a day it can flag your application for review. I had to go back and correct mine which added weeks to my processing time. Also, if you had any union jobs, try to get your union local number handy as they sometimes ask for that too.
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