I'm with Santander Bank and wanted to share my experience for anyone else who might be banking with them! My payments consistently hit around 8:45am on Tuesday mornings. Just got my first payment last week after 17 days of waiting and it included all the back pay like everyone mentioned. The anxiety during those 2.5 weeks was absolutely brutal - I was checking my account multiple times a day! What finally helped was reading through threads like this and realizing the 2-3 week timeline is completely normal. I also started setting a phone alarm for Tuesday mornings at 9am to check my account just once instead of obsessively refreshing all morning. For anyone still in the waiting phase, I know it feels like forever but everyone here is right that it does come through with full back pay. The Tuesday morning routine is actually kind of nice once you get used to it! Hang in there everyone 💪

I'm with KeyBank and just wanted to add my experience to this amazing thread! My payments consistently hit around 7:45am on Tuesday mornings. Just received my first payment yesterday after 16 days of waiting and it came with all the back pay which was such a huge relief! The anxiety during those 2+ weeks was incredibly real - I was literally losing sleep checking my account at random hours. What finally helped was reading through all these experiences and realizing that everyone goes through the exact same timeline and feelings. I ended up creating a simple note on my phone with my approval date so I could stop trying to remember and calculate how long it had been. One tip that really saved my sanity - I started checking my account just once on Tuesday mornings at 8am with my coffee instead of obsessively refreshing throughout the week. Made the whole process so much more manageable! For anyone still in that first payment waiting period, I totally get how stressful it is but everyone here is proof that it really does come through right on schedule. The Tuesday routine is actually kind of comforting once you get into the rhythm! 💙

I've been on NY unemployment since April and have traveled to visit family in different states several times without any issues. Your Thursday-Monday Nevada trip is absolutely fine! The key is exactly what everyone else has said - stay available for work and keep up with your job search requirements. I always make sure to bring my laptop so I can continue applying for jobs and handle any remote interviews that come up. Since most interviews are done via Zoom/phone these days anyway, your physical location for a short visit really doesn't matter as long as you're genuinely available to work. Just be honest when you certify about being ready and able to work (which you clearly are since you can do remote interviews) and document your job applications like you normally would. The NY system definitely understands that people have family obligations and normal life situations. Don't stress about this - enjoy your time with your family! You're being responsible by asking about it beforehand, but based on everyone's experiences here, this is really a non-issue for short domestic trips when you're still actively job searching.

I've been on NY unemployment since December and just wanted to add my voice to all these reassuring experiences! I had a very similar situation last month when I needed to visit my brother in North Carolina for a few days. I was absolutely terrified about messing up my benefits, but it turned out to be completely fine. I brought my laptop, kept up with my daily job applications, and even had a phone interview scheduled for the day I got back. The key really is just being honest about your availability - since you can do remote interviews and would accept a job if offered, you're definitely available for work regardless of which state you're physically in. I love that so many people have shared their positive experiences here because it shows this is actually pretty routine! For your Nevada trip, just document everything like you normally would and enjoy your family time. You've got this! 😊

Just remember to document everything! Keep copies of your application, any correspondence with NYS Department of Labor, and notes about your separation. If your employer tries to lie, having documentation helps your case during any appeal process.

Thanks for sharing this question - I'm actually going through something similar right now! I filed my claim about 10 days ago and haven't heard anything yet, so I'm assuming my employer probably got the Request for Information form by now. It's nerve-wracking not knowing what they're going to say, especially when you didn't leave on the best terms. Has anyone here had experience with what happens if there are conflicting stories between what you reported and what your employer says?

Another thing to consider - if your employer is making you work doubles without notice, that could potentially violate labor laws around scheduling. NY has some protections for retail workers regarding advance notice of schedules. You might want to look into whether they're breaking any "predictive scheduling" rules, as that could strengthen your good cause argument. Also, keep records of when you were told about schedule changes vs when you actually had to work - timestamps matter. Even text messages saying "hey can you come in today" when it wasn't your scheduled day can be useful evidence.

I went through a similar situation last year with a hostile manager and constant schedule changes. One thing that really helped my case was keeping a detailed journal - dates, times, what was said, who was present. I also started forwarding myself any work-related texts or emails to create a backup. The NYS DOL adjudicator told me later that having specific dates and examples made all the difference. Don't just document the big incidents - keep track of the small stuff too like being forced to stay late without notice or being spoken to inappropriately. It all adds up to show a pattern of unreasonable working conditions. Also, if you have any coworkers who witnessed these issues, get their contact info now in case you need witness statements later. Good luck!

I'm in a similar boat with my part-time teaching assistant position - some weeks I get called in for extra hours, other weeks barely anything. One thing I've learned is to always screenshot your online certification confirmation after you submit it each week. I had a situation where the system glitched and showed I hadn't certified for a week when I actually had, and having that screenshot saved me a lot of headache when I had to prove it later. Also, if you're ever unsure about whether you should claim for a particular week, err on the side of reporting it - it's much easier to explain why you claimed when you maybe shouldn't have than to try to get benefits reinstated for a week you didn't claim but were eligible for.

This is such helpful information! I'm dealing with a very similar situation working at a local bookstore where my hours are all over the place depending on events and seasonal rushes. Some weeks I'm barely getting 12 hours, other weeks they have me working 35+ during big sales. It's reassuring to know that the NY system is actually designed to handle these fluctuations and I don't need to worry about looking suspicious when I go back and forth between claiming and not claiming. I was always stressed about whether there would be some kind of flag on my account, but it sounds like this is exactly what partial unemployment benefits are for. Really appreciate everyone sharing their experiences!