


Ask the community...
Just to clarify - when you file your initial claim, you'll select 'lack of work' as your separation reason. NYS Department of Labor categorizes job losses pretty broadly. Whether it's automation, plant closure, or just regular downsizing, it all falls under involuntary separation which qualifies you for benefits assuming you meet the other requirements.
This reminds me of when the factory in my hometown closed down in 2019. Different situation but same outcome - a bunch of us suddenly unemployed. The NYS Department of Labor process was actually pretty straightforward once I figured out the website. Don't stress too much about the technical details of why you lost the job.
The determination process also includes checking if you're able and available to work. You have to be actively looking for work and document your job search activities. Plus they verify you're not receiving other income like severance or vacation pay that might affect your benefits.
Good point about the job search requirement. How many jobs do I need to apply to each week to stay compliant?
If you're having trouble reaching someone at NYS Department of Labor about your claim status, I had success using Claimyr recently. It's a service that calls on your behalf and gets you connected to an actual agent. Check out claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows exactly how it works. I was skeptical at first but after weeks of busy signals, I finally got through and resolved my adjudication issue in one call.
The unemployment system is so broken! They make it impossible to reach anyone and then wonder why people get frustrated. I got fired from my last job too and it took MONTHS to get approved. Don't get your hopes up that this will be quick or easy.
Just wanted to add - make sure you're prepared for the weekly certification process too. You'll need to log your job search activities and report any income. The job search requirement is 3 work search activities per week in NY. Start keeping track of everything now so you're ready when your claim gets approved.
Sean Doyle
honestly the whole system is ridiculous, they make you jump through so many hoops even when you legitimately need help. File your claim anyway and see what happens, even if you were fired for a stupid reason they might still approve you. The worst case is you waste some time filling out forms.
0 coins
Zara Rashid
File ASAP! Don't wait around thinking about whether you qualify or not. I waited two weeks after getting fired before applying and ended up losing out on those benefits because your claim date starts when you file, not when you lost your job.
0 coins
Freya Pedersen
•Oh wow I didn't know that! I was planning to take a few days to think about it but I'll file today then.
0 coins