If you're having trouble getting through to NYS Department of Labor to file your claim or check on adjudication status, I used a service called Claimyr that helped me reach an actual agent. They have a website at claimyr.com and there's a demo video at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Really helped when I couldn't get through the regular phone lines.

Just remember you still need to be able and available for work while collecting benefits. If you're still providing full-time care, that could be an issue with your weekly claims.

If it's just a weekly cert issue you might be able to fix it online through your my.ny.gov account. Check if there's a pending questionnaire or something you missed.

I had success getting through by calling the 888-209-8124 number right at 8:00 AM on a Wednesday. The key is to call exactly when they open - I actually started dialing at 7:59 AM. Still had to wait about 45 minutes but that's way better than the 2+ hours I was waiting when calling later in the day. Also make sure you have all your info ready - claim number, SSN, PIN, and details about what happened with your certification. The agent was actually really helpful once I got through and was able to see exactly why my cert was rejected (I had accidentally put the wrong dates for a part-time job). Good luck!

Just wanted to add that even if you can't get regular unemployment, there might be small business assistance programs through the state or SBA that could help with your catering business. Don't give up on entrepreneurship just because of a slow period!

I'm in a similar boat with my photography business - revenue has been really inconsistent this year. From what I've researched, New York State does have some programs for struggling small businesses even if we can't get regular unemployment. You might want to check out the Empire State Development Corporation's website for business grants and low-interest loans. Also, some local workforce development boards offer training programs that come with stipends while you learn new skills that could complement your catering business. It's worth exploring all options before having to take a traditional W-2 job if you want to keep your business going.

I'm in a similar situation - just filed my claim two days ago and the waiting is nerve-wracking! From what I'm reading here, it sounds like 2-3 weeks is typical if everything goes smoothly. @Ben Cooper, definitely start filing your weekly claims right away - I called the Department of Labor help line yesterday (took forever to get through) and they confirmed you need to certify weekly even while your initial claim is still pending. The rep told me that's one of the biggest mistakes people make that delays their payments. Hang in there!

I just went through this process about 6 weeks ago and wanted to share my timeline to help ease some anxiety. Filed my initial claim on a Monday, status showed "under review" for about 10 days, then switched to "approved" on a Thursday. Got my first payment the following Tuesday - so roughly 2 weeks total from filing to money in my account. The payment covered 3 weeks since I had been filing my weekly certifications the whole time (which you should definitely start doing immediately!). One thing that helped speed things up was making sure I had all my documents ready and responded to any DOL requests within 24 hours. Also, don't panic if your status doesn't change for several days - that seems to be normal. The system updates in batches rather than real-time.

Just to clarify the calculation for everyone - NYS uses your base period which is the first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters before you file. So if you file in January 2025, your base period would be October 2023 through September 2024. They take your highest quarter earnings, divide by 26, and that's your weekly benefit rate (up to the maximum of $504 in 2025). If you don't have enough wages in the standard base period, you might qualify for the alternate base period which uses more recent quarters.

If your benefit amount seems wrong, I'd definitely recommend filing an appeal or requesting a wage investigation like others mentioned. I had a similar situation where my benefits were calculated using an old part-time job instead of my recent full-time position. The NYS Department of Labor recalculated after I provided additional documentation, and my weekly benefit went from $165 to $312. Don't just accept it if you think there's an error - you have rights to challenge the determination. The worst they can say is that the original calculation was correct, but you might discover missing wage reports or other issues that can be fixed.