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The system is SO broken honestly. I've been fighting with NYS Department of Labor for weeks about my claim and they keep giving me different answers every time I finally get through to someone. Good luck getting anyone on the phone without waiting hours. And don't even get me started on their website crashing all the time when you're trying to file your weekly claim.
Yeah the phone system is a nightmare. That's why people are using services like that Claimyr thing to get through. Worth it when you're dealing with claim issues.
The whole NYS Department of Labor system is a joke! They make it so complicated just to get YOUR OWN MONEY that you paid into the system. Half the time their website crashes when you're trying to file your weekly claim and then they act like it's your fault when payments get delayed.
Just to clarify for everyone - unemployment checks are really unemployment payments now since most people use direct deposit. The payment amount is based on your earnings history over the past 18 months, with a maximum weekly benefit of $504 in NY for 2025. You can receive these payments for up to 26 weeks as long as you continue to meet the job search requirements and file your weekly claims on time.
Been dealing with this recently and it's frustrating how confusing they make the whole process. If you need to actually talk to someone at NYS Department of Labor about your specific situation, I found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helps you get through to an actual agent. They have a video demo showing how it works: https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI. Saved me hours of trying to call and getting busy signals.
How much does something like that cost though? Seems like it should be free to talk to them about your own benefits.
The percentage thing is misleading because there are minimums and maximums that affect most people. I think the minimum weekly benefit is like $104 and maximum is $504 for this year. So if you're a higher earner, you're definitely not getting 50% of your actual wages. More like 30-35% once you hit that cap.
Zoe Christodoulou
dont forget you have to certify that you're able and available to work each week when you file your weekly claim. they ask questions about whether you worked, turned down any job offers, or had any other income
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Jamal Thompson
I remember being so stressed about this whole thing when I first filed. It seems overwhelming but once you get into the routine of filing weekly it becomes pretty straightforward. Just make sure you keep good records of your job search activities in case they audit you later.
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