Don't give up! I was unemployed for 16 months and thought I'd never work again. What finally worked was being completely honest in interviews about what I learned during that time and how it made me more motivated. Some employers actually see long-term unemployment as making you less likely to job hop.

I went through something similar after being laid off and struggled for over a year. What really helped me was the NYS Department of Labor's "Mature Worker Program" - they have specialized counselors who understand the challenges of long-term unemployment and age discrimination. They also connected me with employers who specifically value experienced workers. Don't overlook their apprenticeship programs either - some are open to career changers and provide paid training. The key is persistence and not taking rejections personally. You have value and experience that someone needs!

Just file as soon as you're eligible, don't overthink it. The system will tell you if there are any issues with your dates or payments.

One thing to keep in mind - make sure you file your initial claim online rather than trying to call. The NYS DOL website is usually much faster and you can do it 24/7. When you file, you'll create your weekly claim schedule (they'll assign you specific days to certify each week). Also, even though your vacation pay won't delay your initial claim filing, it might reduce your benefit amount for that first week depending on how much it is. Good luck with everything!

Just went through this exact situation during Memorial Day weekend earlier this year. The one-day delay is pretty standard, but what really helped me was setting up text alerts through my bank so I got notified the moment the deposit hit my account. Most banks offer this service for free and it saved me from constantly checking my balance. Also, if you're really tight on timing with bills, some utility companies and landlords are understanding about holiday delays if you call and explain - I've had success getting a one-day grace period when I showed them it was due to a government holiday affecting my unemployment payment.

Thanks everyone for all this helpful info! I'm also new to unemployment and was panicking about the Labor Day delay. @Fatima Al-Sayed that tip about the 2-4 AM deposit timing is a lifesaver - I've been losing sleep checking my account at random times. And @Jamal Harris, I'm definitely setting up those text alerts right now. It's crazy how these little details aren't explained anywhere official but make such a huge difference when you're trying to budget on unemployment. Really appreciate this community looking out for each other!

WEEKLY FILING IS MANDATORY! I can't stress this enough. The NYS Department of Labor system is very strict about this. Miss a week and you'll be dealing with a nightmare of phone calls and delays. Set a reminder on your phone for every Sunday morning.

Just to clarify the timeline for you - you need to certify WEEKLY (every week) but payments are processed BI-WEEKLY (every two weeks). So your routine will be: File week 1 claim → File week 2 claim → Receive payment for both weeks → File week 3 claim → File week 4 claim → Receive payment for weeks 3&4, and so on. The key is never skip a weekly certification even though you're not getting paid every week. Hope this helps clear up the confusion!

The whole system is ridiculous if you ask me. You pay into unemployment insurance but then when you actually need time off for something important like having a baby they tell you you're not eligible because you're not 'available for work.' Meanwhile they created this whole separate program with different rules and probably different application processes. Why can't they just make it simple?

I just went through this process myself earlier this year! @Connor O'Brien is absolutely right - you won't qualify for regular unemployment while on maternity leave, but New York's Paid Family Leave is what you want to look into. You can get up to 12 weeks of PFL at 67% of your average weekly wage (up to a cap). The application is through your employer or their insurance carrier, not through the unemployment system. Also, for the actual birth/recovery period, you may qualify for short-term disability benefits which is separate from both UI and PFL. I'd recommend calling your HR department first to ask about both PFL and disability benefits - they should be able to walk you through the process since they handle the paperwork on their end.