I'm dealing with this exact situation right now too! Filed my claim in mid-January and I'm currently on week 7 of benefits. It's been really stressing me out not knowing when or if I'd actually get that waiting week payment, but reading everyone's experiences here has put my mind at ease. It sounds like NYS Department of Labor really does have this automated and we just need to be patient. I was actually considering calling them to ask about it, but based on what everyone's saying here, it seems like that would just be a waste of time since it happens automatically anyway. Thanks for starting this thread - clearly a lot of us were wondering the same thing!

I'm in the exact same boat as many of you! Filed in late January and I'm currently in week 5 of collecting benefits. I was getting really anxious about that waiting week payment and wondering if I needed to do something special to claim it. This thread has been incredibly helpful - it's such a relief to know that NYS Department of Labor automatically handles it when your benefit year ends, whether you exhaust all 26 weeks or not. I was actually planning to spend my afternoon trying to get through to them on the phone, but now I know that would just be a waste of time since it's completely automated. Thanks everyone for sharing your real experiences - it makes navigating this whole unemployment system so much less stressful when you hear from people who've actually been through it!

This thread has been incredibly helpful for me too! I'm dealing with almost the exact same timeline - filed my claim about 3 weeks ago and my waiting week just processed yesterday morning. Still waiting on payments for 2 additional weeks that show as 'processed' in the system. Reading everyone's experiences here has really calmed my nerves - I was starting to think there was an issue with my claim when the payments didn't show up immediately. The consistent 2-3 business day timeline that multiple people have mentioned gives me hope that I should see my money by early next week. It's so stressful waiting when you have bills due, but knowing this seems to be the normal process helps a lot. Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences and especially for the tip about checking the payment history page instead of just obsessively refreshing my bank account!

This thread is exactly what I needed to see right now! I'm in a very similar situation - filed my NY unemployment claim about 3 weeks ago and my waiting week payment just hit my account this morning. I'm still waiting on 2 additional weeks of payments that show as 'processed' in my online account. Reading everyone's experiences here has been such a relief - I was starting to worry that something went wrong with my claim when the money didn't appear immediately after the waiting week. The consistent 2-3 business day timeline that so many people have shared gives me hope that I should see my remaining payments by Monday or Tuesday. It's incredibly stressful waiting when you have rent and utilities due, but knowing this seems to be the normal processing pattern really helps ease my anxiety. Thanks to everyone for sharing their timelines and especially for the tip about checking the payment history page - I just checked and mine shows 'released to bank' as of this afternoon, so hopefully that's a good sign!

Welcome to the community! Your approach sounds really solid based on everything discussed here. For finance specifically, I'd highly recommend prioritizing the Python for finance and financial modeling courses - those technical skills are in huge demand right now and employers definitely take notice when candidates have quantitative programming abilities. From what I've seen in finance job postings, anything involving data analysis, Python/R programming, or advanced Excel modeling tends to carry significant weight. Risk management courses are also valuable, especially if you're targeting roles at banks or investment firms where regulatory knowledge is important. One tip specific to finance: many of the courses offer hands-on projects where you build actual financial models or analyze real datasets. I'd suggest documenting not just completion of modules, but also saving copies of any models or analyses you create. These become portfolio pieces you can reference in interviews and show tangible proof of your new skills. Also consider looking into any courses that lead to recognized certifications in finance - like CFA Institute or Bloomberg Market Concepts integration. Those credentials can really differentiate your applications. Your documentation plan sounds thorough and should definitely meet audit requirements. The fact that you're being so strategic about course selection from the start puts you ahead of the game. Finance employers really value candidates who show initiative in staying current with industry tools and techniques, so this investment should pay off in your job search!

I've been on NY unemployment for about 2 months and this thread has been absolutely invaluable! I'm in graphic design and have been taking Coursera courses on UX/UI design and Adobe Creative Suite updates. Based on all the excellent advice shared here, I've been spending 1-2 hours per session, documenting everything thoroughly, and treating it as genuine professional development. What's really helped me is creating a portfolio project after completing each course. For example, after finishing a course on user experience design, I redesigned a nonprofit's website and documented the process. This gives me concrete examples to discuss in interviews and shows practical application of the skills I'm learning. I've also started participating actively in course discussion forums and peer reviews, which creates additional documentation of engagement. The certificates and completion screenshots are great, but having those forum discussions shows deeper involvement with the material. One tip I'd add: I keep a separate document where I write brief case studies of how I applied each course to real projects. This has been incredibly useful for interview prep - I can give specific examples of recent learning and how it enhanced my design process. The success stories here about getting interviews after mentioning Coursera training are so encouraging! I referenced my recent UX courses in three applications last week and already heard back from two companies wanting to discuss my skills further. Thanks to everyone who shared their audit experiences and documentation strategies. This community support has made navigating unemployment requirements so much clearer!

I'm going through this exact same thing right now! Missed my interview 6 days ago because I had to rush my kid to urgent care with a high fever. Finally got through to someone yesterday who was really understanding and said they'd reactivate my benefits, but no timeline given. Reading all these comments is both reassuring and nerve-wracking - sounds like it could be anywhere from a few more days to several weeks! The inconsistency is wild. I'm definitely taking everyone's advice about keeping detailed notes and following up if nothing happens by next week. The stress of waiting while bills pile up is brutal, but it helps so much to know others have been through this and eventually got their payments restored. Thanks for posting this question - sometimes you just need to know you're not alone in dealing with this broken system! 🙏

I just went through this exact same situation about a month ago! Missed my interview because I was dealing with a family emergency (my grandmother was in the hospital). The waiting period was absolutely nerve-wracking, but I wanted to share my timeline to hopefully help ease some of your anxiety. I called them the day after I missed the appointment and spoke to an agent who said she'd restart my benefits. It ended up taking exactly 11 days from that phone call until I saw the payment hit my account. During those 11 days, I was checking my account obsessively and calling back twice just to make sure nothing had gotten lost in the system. The second time I called (around day 8), the agent confirmed everything was still processing and told me to be patient. On day 11, boom - I got a deposit for all the back pay I was owed. My advice: keep certifying every single week (this is crucial!), give it at least 10-14 business days before panicking, and don't hesitate to call back once to confirm they actually processed everything. The system is definitely broken and slow, but most people do eventually get their money. Hang in there!

I had my interview about two months ago and wanted to share a few additional tips that really helped me. First, make sure you have a pen and paper ready to take notes during the call - they might give you reference numbers or important dates to remember. Second, they asked me very specific questions about my last employer's policies, like whether there was a progressive discipline policy and if I was aware of it. Third, be prepared to explain any gaps in your work history or periods of part-time work before your current claim. The interviewer also asked about my computer skills and transportation situation to confirm I could realistically accept work offers. One thing that surprised me was they asked if I had any pending job interviews scheduled - apparently this can affect your availability requirements. The whole process was much more thorough than I expected but also very fair. Stay organized, speak clearly, and remember they want to help eligible people get benefits, not deny everyone who calls. You've got this!

I went through my phone interview about 6 weeks ago and it was honestly much less intimidating than I built it up to be in my head! They asked standard questions about my job separation, work availability, and job search efforts. One thing that really helped me was creating a simple "cheat sheet" with key dates, my former supervisor's name, and a brief timeline of my last few weeks at work. The interviewer was very professional and patient - they even repeated a question when I asked for clarification. The whole call took about 18 minutes and I got my determination letter exactly one week later. My biggest advice is to speak slowly and clearly, and if you need a moment to think or check your notes, just say "let me double-check that date for you" - they're totally fine with that. You're going to do great!