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The base period thing caught me too - I thought if I worked and paid into unemployment I'd automatically qualify but there's all these weird timing rules. Make sure when you reapply you wait until you have enough quarters of earnings in your base period.
Wait I'm confused about the base period thing too. If someone worked for 6 months wouldn't that be enough? How many quarters do you need exactly? I might have the same problem when my temp job ends next month.
ugh the whole unemployment system is such a mess. took me FOREVER to even get my first payment and then when i called to ask about the amount they gave me the runaround for hours. the average payment doesnt matter if you cant even get approved in the first place!!
I had this exact problem last year and couldn't get through to NYS Department of Labor on the phone for weeks. Finally used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get connected to an actual agent who explained my options. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. The agent was able to look at my wage history and confirm I could file a new claim.
Had a nightmare trying to reach someone at NYS Department of Labor to ask about this exact question last month. Spent hours on hold and kept getting disconnected. Finally used a service called Claimyr that got me through to an actual agent who explained everything clearly. Check out claimyr.com - 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 call myself.
Whatever you do, don't just quit without having a solid plan. Even if you think you have good cause, there's always a risk the NYS Department of Labor will see it differently. Maybe try to get fired instead? I know that sounds weird but sometimes it's better for your unemployment case.
Oscar Murphy
The NYS Department of Labor system is completely broken. They'll tell you 2-3 weeks but that's total BS. I know people who waited 2+ months just for an initial determination. And don't even get me started on trying to reach them by phone - it's designed to frustrate you into giving up.
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Nora Bennett
•I feel your pain but some people do get processed quickly. My cousin got approved in 12 days last month. I think it really depends on your specific situation and how busy they are.
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Ryan Andre
Just keep filing your weekly claims while you wait! That's super important. Even if your initial claim is still processing, you need to certify each week or you'll lose those benefits permanently. I made that mistake early on and lost 3 weeks of payments.
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