wait so when they say unemployment is low does that mean like statewide or just in your area? because my town has tons of jobs but they're all retail and food service and i worked in accounting

I'm in a similar boat - been unemployed for about 8 weeks and finding it really tough to hit the 3 job contacts weekly in my field (IT support). What's helped me is mixing in some of the alternative activities others mentioned here. I've been attending virtual networking events through LinkedIn, reaching out to former colleagues for informational interviews, and even volunteering at a local nonprofit that uses technology - all of which count toward the requirement if you document them properly. Also started following up on applications I submitted weeks ago, which my caseworker said counts as a legitimate job search activity. The key seems to be showing genuine effort rather than just hitting a number. Keep your documentation detailed - date, company, contact method, and outcome for everything you do.

ugh the whole system is so confusing, why can't they just make it simple? i never know if i'm doing things right with these claims

Just to add - when I filed my second claim last year, NYS Department of Labor required me to do the whole job search requirement thing again even though I had done it before. So be prepared for that if your claim gets approved.

Been dealing with this for months now. Columbus Day will definitely delay your payment by at least one business day, sometimes two depending on your bank. I've learned to just automatically add 2-3 extra days to any payment that falls around a holiday. Also, if you're really stressed about timing and need to talk to someone at NY unemployment, I ended up using claimyr.com after seeing it mentioned here. Worked way better than trying to call directly - got connected to an actual person in under an hour instead of spending days redialing. Worth it when you're worried about missing rent! Pro tip: set up payment alerts with your bank so you know exactly when the deposit hits, and maybe talk to your landlord now about the potential delay. Most are understanding if you give them a heads up.

Yeah, Columbus Day will definitely delay your payment. I've been on NY unemployment for about 6 months now and every federal holiday pushes things back at least one day, sometimes two. The frustrating part is their website never updates to reflect the actual delay - it'll still show your regular payment date even though it's not coming. My advice: always budget like your payment is coming 2-3 days later than scheduled whenever there's a holiday. I learned this the hard way after nearly getting hit with late fees multiple times. Also, if you haven't already, switch to direct deposit if you're still using the debit card - it's usually faster and more reliable during these delays. The whole system is honestly a mess but at least now you know what to expect. Hope this helps you avoid the stress I went through my first few months!

same thing here, got the audit notice last month and was totally confused about what they wanted

I just went through this audit process a few months ago and wanted to share what helped me. The key is organization - I created a simple spreadsheet with all my job applications, dates, company names, and contact info. Also kept screenshots of online applications and copies of any email confirmations. The NYS Department of Labor auditor was actually pretty reasonable and just wanted to verify I was actively looking for work. The whole thing was resolved in about 2-3 weeks. Don't stress too much, just be thorough with your records and respond promptly to any requests they make.

Just wanted to add that if you exhaust your 26 weeks of regular UI, you might be eligible for extended benefits during periods of high unemployment, but that's rare and depends on statewide unemployment rates. For planning purposes, definitely count on 26 weeks and not a day more.

Hey Mateo! Just to add some practical advice - I went through this process last year and the 26 weeks goes by faster than you think. Start your job search immediately even if you're taking a few days to decompress. The weekly certification process becomes routine but don't skip it - I set a phone reminder for the same day/time each week. Also, your benefit amount is calculated from your highest earning quarter in your base period, so it might be different than what you expect. The NYS DOL website has a benefit calculator that can give you a rough estimate. Good luck with everything!