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The whole system is a nightmare honestly. They make you jump through hoops and then leave you hanging for weeks without any explanation. I've been fighting with NYS Department of Labor for over a month about my claim and still don't have answers.
Most disqualifications I see are for attendance issues or policy violations that employers report as misconduct. Not meeting sales quotas typically wouldn't qualify as misconduct unless there's evidence you weren't trying or were deliberately sabotaging sales. Make sure to request a copy of what your employer submitted to NYS Department of Labor - you're entitled to see their side of the story.
The phone situation with NYS Department of Labor is absolutely ridiculous!! I've wasted HOURS trying to reach someone about a simple question about my job search log. The automated system is useless and the hold times are insane. There's got to be a better way to handle this.
For what it's worth, you can also try messaging through your my.ny.gov account, though response times vary. Sometimes they respond within a few days, sometimes it takes 2+ weeks. If your issue is urgent like a missed weekly claim deadline, definitely keep trying the phone.
Check the Federal Reserve Economic Data (FRED) website - they have unemployment rates by state going back decades. For New York specifically, you can see how unemployment spiked during major recessions. The 1970s and early 1980s were pretty bad too, though not as severe as the Depression era.
If you're having trouble getting through to the NYS Department of Labor for historical data requests, you might want to try claimyr.com - they help people connect with NYS Department of Labor agents by phone more easily. I used them when I needed specific information about my claim history and couldn't get through the regular phone lines. There's a demo video at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works.
Rachel Clark
ugh the whole system is confusing. i thought you got kicked off after 3 months but my cousin has been on it for like 6 months last year?? makes no sense
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Jeremiah Brown
•Your cousin might have been on extended benefits or pandemic programs that were available in 2020-2022. Regular unemployment in NY is up to 26 weeks now.
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Zachary Hughes
Just keep filing and don't overthink it. The system will tell you if there's a problem. I made it through my full 26 weeks last year without any issues as long as I kept up with the weekly claims and job search requirements.
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