How long can I wait to file an unemployment claim after being laid off?
You should file you claim for uc benefits immediately. However, there are exceptions such as you worked the whole calendar week, you are not financially eligible in the current quarter (which you found out by filing the initial claim immediately), you want to wait to file so you have money during the winter, Christmas, etc, or you have some other reason. But the claim starts when you file, not previously, unless you meet backdating requirements. If you wait too long, you may make yourself ineligible by going into a different base year. Study this in depth before waiting to file.
