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UGH this is so typical of NYS Department of Labor!! They make you jump through all these hoops just to get your own money. I bet they're hoping you'll just give up and stop claiming. The system is designed to frustrate people into quitting.
The whole system is SO confusing and they make it impossible to get through to anyone to ask questions! I've been trying to call NYS Department of Labor for weeks about my own claim status and just get busy signals or hung up on. How is anyone supposed to understand these rules when you can't even talk to a human being???
I had such a hard time getting through to NYS Department of Labor when I had questions about my eligibility last month. Spent hours on hold just to get disconnected. Finally used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that actually got me connected to a real person at the unemployment office. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. The agent was able to review my specific situation and confirm I was entitled to benefits. Might be worth checking out if you need to talk to someone directly about your case.
The whole system is so confusing honestly. They make it seem like you need a law degree just to figure out if you're entitled to benefits. I've been unemployed for 3 months and still don't fully understand all the rules about job search requirements and reporting.
I had trouble reaching NYS Department of Labor about employer tax questions when I was doing payroll. Kept getting busy signals and disconnected calls. Finally used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me through to an actual agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Made it so much easier to get answers about our company's unemployment tax rate and payment schedule.
The whole system is basically a safety net funded by employer contributions. When you get laid off and file your weekly claims, you're getting benefits that your former employer (and all other employers) paid into the fund. It's not like the company writes a check directly for your specific benefits - it all goes into a big state fund that NYS Department of Labor manages.
Mikayla Brown
I had trouble reaching someone at NYS Department of Labor when I had questions about my claim status. If you run into issues getting through on the phone, I used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get connected to an actual agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Really saved me hours of calling and getting busy signals.
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Sean Matthews
•How much does something like that cost? Seems like we shouldn't have to pay extra just to talk to someone about our own benefits.
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Mikayla Brown
•I get the frustration but honestly it was worth it for me. The regular phone lines were impossible and I needed to resolve an issue with my job search log.
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Ali Anderson
Just went through this whole process myself! One thing they don't tell you upfront is that you have to do 3 job search activities every week and log them in the system. It's not just about filing the weekly claim - you actually have to prove you're looking for work. Save yourself the headache and start keeping track of your job applications from day one.
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Douglas Foster
•Wait, 3 activities every single week? What counts as a job search activity?
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Ali Anderson
•Applying for jobs, networking events, job fairs, even updating your LinkedIn profile counts. Just make sure you document everything with dates and details.
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