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Wait I'm confused - I thought if you quit you automatically can't get unemployment no matter what? My friend quit her job because her boss was harassing her and she said she couldn't get benefits. Maybe the rules changed?
Document EVERYTHING before you make any moves. Dates, times, what was said, who was there. Take photos if there are safety issues. NYS Department of Labor will want concrete evidence, not just your word against theirs. And honestly, start job hunting now while you're still employed - it's always easier to find work when you already have work.
I think you're overthinking this. If your employer put you on standby then you're good. I was on standby for like 3 months and never had any issues.
Actually the bigger issue is that when unemployment is low, they sometimes reduce the maximum benefit duration or tighten eligibility rules. I went through this in 2019 when the rate was around 3.5%. Had to appeal a disqualification because they said I wasn't making enough effort to find work even though I was following all the rules.
If you're having trouble reaching someone at NYS Department of Labor about your adjudication, I used a service called Claimyr that helped me get through to an actual agent. You can check it out at claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that explains how it works. I was able to get my claim status sorted out in like 20 minutes after weeks of trying to call myself.
The whole system is rigged against workers. Companies will lie, cheat, and steal to avoid paying what they owe. I've seen employers claim people were fired for cause when they know damn well it was just downsizing. NYS Department of Labor needs to start penalizing companies that file false disputes.
I went through something similar when my hours got cut to almost nothing after wage increases. Even if it's not a full layoff, significant hour reductions can qualify you for partial unemployment benefits. Make sure you're reporting any hours you do work when you file your weekly claims.
Liam Mendez
THE SYSTEM IS SO CONFUSING THO! Like why don't they explain this stuff better?? I spent weeks thinking I was gonna get arrested or something for filing while working. NYS Department of Labor website makes it sound like you can ONLY file if you're completely unemployed but that's not true at all!
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Ethan Wilson
•I totally agree the messaging could be clearer. The partial unemployment program isn't well publicized even though it helps so many people who have reduced hours.
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Emily Jackson
Just make sure you understand the job search requirements too. Even on partial unemployment you usually still need to do work search activities, though they might be reduced since you're already working.
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