Omar, I'm so sorry to hear about your mother's stroke and the impossible position this has put you in. Reading through all these responses, it's clear you're getting some excellent guidance. I wanted to add one more resource that might be helpful - many states have Family Caregiver Support Programs through the Older Americans Act that provide things like respite care vouchers, caregiver training, and even modest stipends for family members providing care. You can usually find these through your Area Agency on Aging. Also, don't overlook the possibility that your mother might qualify for programs based on her work history - if she paid into Social Security, she might be eligible for disability benefits even from a stroke, which could help with household finances. The fact that you worked in healthcare for 8 years before this happened shows your dedication both professionally and personally. This community seems really supportive and knowledgeable - I hope some of these suggestions lead to the help you and your mother need. Take care of yourself too in all of this.

Omar, I'm so sorry about your mother's stroke - what an incredibly difficult situation. I've been following this thread and wanted to add something that might help that I haven't seen mentioned yet. Since you worked at a hospital for 8 years, you likely have strong connections in the healthcare community. I'd suggest reaching out to the stroke unit or rehabilitation department at your former hospital - they often maintain lists of community resources specifically for stroke survivors and their families that aren't widely publicized. Additionally, many stroke support groups have informal networks where families share resources and sometimes even coordinate respite care for each other. The American Stroke Association chapters often facilitate these connections. Also, if your mother had any kind of retirement savings or pension from her work, there might be hardship withdrawal options available that could provide some financial breathing room while you navigate all these other programs everyone has mentioned. Your dedication to your mother is incredible, and I really hope some of these resources work out for you both.

I just wanted to chime in as someone who went through this process about 2 months ago. Reading through all these responses brings back memories of how anxious I was! A few additional tips that helped me: 1. Write down 3-4 key points you absolutely want to make sure you cover, even if the conversation goes in unexpected directions 2. If you get flustered during a question, it's totally fine to say "Let me think about that for a moment" - the judge would rather you give a thoughtful answer than rush through something unclear 3. Keep a glass of water AND some tissues nearby - I didn't expect to get emotional but talking about losing my job was harder than I thought it would be 4. If your employer makes claims during the hearing that you know are false, jot down quick notes so you can address them when it's your turn to respond My hearing ended up lasting about 50 minutes because there were some complex issues around my termination, but the judge was very patient and made sure I had time to explain everything fully. I got my favorable decision exactly 2 weeks later. The most important thing is just being honest and organized. You can tell from all these responses that most people had positive experiences with fair judges. You're going to do great! Please update us after your hearing - this community is so supportive and we're all rooting for you!

I had my hearing about 6 weeks ago and I'm so glad I found threads like this beforehand! One thing I didn't see mentioned yet - make sure you have your Social Security number and claim confirmation number written down somewhere easy to find. The judge asked for both at the very beginning to verify my identity and I almost panicked trying to remember my confirmation number. Also, if you filed your claim online, print out or screenshot the confirmation pages if you still have access to them. The judge asked me to confirm some details from my original application and it was really helpful to have that information right in front of me. My hearing was actually shorter than I expected - only about 25 minutes - but that was because my case was pretty straightforward (layoff due to company downsizing). The judge asked about my employment dates, my job duties, exactly how I was notified about the layoff, and whether I had received any severance pay. One last tip: if you're calling from a cell phone, make sure it's fully charged and maybe have a charger plugged in nearby just in case. Nothing would be worse than having your phone die in the middle of the hearing! You're going to do amazing on Tuesday - the fact that you've prepared so thoroughly already shows you're taking this seriously. Looking forward to hearing your good news!

I'm in the same boat as many of you here! Filed my new claim about 19 days ago and still showing $0 balance, but I did get the updated BYE date. The waiting is honestly the worst part because you never know if it's just slow processing or if there's actually an issue that needs attention. I've been religiously certifying every week even with the zero showing, and checking my inbox daily for that monetary determination letter everyone mentions. Still nothing yet! Reading through all these responses is actually really helpful - sounds like anywhere from 2-4 weeks seems to be the norm, which is longer than I expected but at least gives me a realistic timeline. I think I'll give it until the full 3 week mark before considering other options. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences, it definitely helps with the anxiety of not knowing what's normal!

I'm going through this exact same situation! Filed my new claim 15 days ago and my balance dropped to $0 even though I got the new BYE date. It's such a relief to see I'm not the only one dealing with this - I was starting to panic thinking something went wrong with my application. I've been certifying every week like everyone suggests, but that zero balance is so nerve-wracking when you're counting on those benefits. Based on all the responses here, it sounds like 2-3 weeks is pretty normal for the system to update with your new benefit amount. I'm going to keep being patient and wait for that monetary determination letter to show up in my inbox. Thanks for posting this question - reading everyone's experiences has really helped ease my anxiety about the whole process!

I've been in your exact shoes and I totally understand the anxiety you're feeling right now! About 3 months ago, I was offered a job stocking shelves at a grocery store for $14/hour when I had been working as a bookkeeper making $23/hour. The panic about potentially losing my benefits was real, but I decided to refuse because it was clearly unsuitable work - completely different field and a massive pay cut. I documented everything just like others have mentioned here (saved the job posting, offer details, wrote down my reasoning), and I never heard anything from NYS Department of Labor about it. Your situation with retail vs accounting at only 60% of your previous wage is exactly the type of scenario the suitable work guidelines are meant to protect against. The most important thing is to keep doing your weekly certifications, continue actively searching for accounting positions, and document this offer thoroughly just in case. Don't let fear force you into accepting something that would genuinely hurt your career - you worked hard to build your accounting skills and experience, and you deserve to find appropriate work in your field. Trust the system and trust yourself - you're making the right decision by refusing this unsuitable offer!

Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful! I was in a very similar situation about 6 months ago when I got offered a position in fast food paying $12/hour after losing my job as a payroll specialist making $24/hour. The anxiety was overwhelming - I kept thinking "what if this is my only chance and I lose my benefits forever?" But after documenting everything (saved the job posting, offer email, and wrote detailed notes about why it wasn't suitable work) and refusing the offer, I never heard anything from NYS Department of Labor. The job was completely outside my field and paid exactly half of what I was making, which clearly didn't meet their suitable work criteria. What really helped me was realizing that taking that job would have actually set me back professionally - I spent years building expertise in payroll and HR systems, and flipping burgers wasn't going to use any of those skills. Your accounting background is valuable and specialized, just like everyone else's professional experience shared here. Don't let fear push you into something that would hurt your long-term career prospects. Keep focusing on accounting positions, document this retail offer thoroughly, and trust that the system is designed to help you find appropriate work, not just any work. You're absolutely making the right choice!

Just wanted to share what's been working for me after struggling with this for months! I've been using Microsoft Edge mobile with these specific steps: 1) Force stop the app completely and clear all Edge data, 2) Open Edge and immediately go to settings to enable "Request desktop site" before navigating anywhere, 3) Turn off WiFi and use cellular data (seems to work way better with their servers), 4) Navigate directly to labor.ny.gov/signin rather than going through the homepage, and 5) Log in during non-peak hours (I've had best success between 5-7 AM). The key thing I discovered is to NEVER switch between desktop/mobile modes once you're on the site - their session management is completely broken and will lock you out. Also if you get any kind of error, don't try to refresh or go back - just close Edge entirely and start the whole process over. It's absolutely insane that we need these elaborate rituals just to access unemployment benefits in 2025, but this method has gotten me through consistently for the past 3 weeks. Hope it helps someone else avoid the endless login loop nightmare! 🤞

Been lurking on this thread for a while and finally got my mobile login working! What saved me was using Firefox Focus (the privacy browser) with desktop mode enabled. The key difference is that Focus automatically blocks trackers and scripts that seem to break their ancient login system. Also discovered that logging out of ALL devices first (including any computers you've used) is crucial - their session management can't handle multiple logins and will just keep erroring out on mobile. Try clearing your phone's DNS cache too (on Android: Settings > Apps > Chrome > Storage > Clear Cache, then restart). I know we shouldn't have to be IT experts just to file for benefits but this combo has been bulletproof for me the last two weeks. The whole system desperately needs an overhaul but at least there are workarounds! 🤞