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While you're waiting, make sure you're keeping track of your job search activities. Even though you can't file weekly claims yet, you'll need to meet the work search requirements once your claim is approved. NYS Department of Labor requires 3 job contacts per week, so start documenting those now. Also, if you haven't heard anything after 3 weeks, you can try calling the claims center, though the wait times are pretty brutal.
Oh god the phone system is a nightmare. I spent literally hours on hold last month trying to get through to someone about my claim status. There's actually a service called Claimyr that helped me get connected to an actual NYS Department of Labor agent - they have this system that calls for you and gets you through the queue. Check out claimyr.com and they have a demo video at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Saved me so much frustration.
Just went through this myself a few months ago. Applied on a Monday, got my approval letter the following Friday (so about 11 days). But then it took another week to figure out how to actually file my weekly claim because the my.ny.gov website is confusing as hell. Make sure you understand the difference between your initial application and your weekly claims - you'll need to file those every week to keep getting paid.
I had so much trouble getting through to NYS Department of Labor when I had questions about collecting both benefits. Spent weeks trying to call and either got busy signals or got disconnected after waiting on hold forever. Finally used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get connected to an actual agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Made the whole process so much easier than trying to navigate the phone system myself.
Had trouble reaching NYS Department of Labor when I needed help with my application errors. Ended up using this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me through to an agent in like 10 minutes instead of waiting on hold for hours. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Really helped when I got stuck on the wage verification part.
The NYS Department of Labor system is honestly terrible compared to other states. Half the time it's down for maintenance and when it does work the interface is confusing. Just keep clicking through each section even if you're not 100% sure - you can always call and correct things later if needed. The important thing is getting your claim date established.
Just to add - if you do need to file for unemployment benefits, you'll do it through the NYS Department of Labor website. The process can be confusing and sometimes you need to speak to someone directly. I had trouble getting through on the phone lines last month but found a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me connect with an actual agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Made the whole process much less stressful when I needed to verify my claim status.
Sophia Long
honestly the whole system is broken... took me 6 weeks to get my first payment and that was for a simple layoff. just keep filing weekly and eventually something will happen but dont hold your breath
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Angelica Smith
•While the system can be slow, 6 weeks is unusually long. Most claims without complications process within 3-4 weeks. If there are delays beyond that, it's usually due to missing documentation or the need for additional verification.
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Logan Greenburg
I'm in the same boat! Filed 10 days ago and nothing yet. This is so stressful when you have bills to pay. Did your employer contest the claim or anything like that? Sometimes that can slow things down.
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