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The NYS Department of Labor is super strict about the 'able and available' requirement. I tried calling them about a similar situation and couldn't get through for weeks. If you need to speak with someone at NYS Department of Labor about your specific circumstances, I found this service called Claimyr that helped me get through to an actual agent. Check out claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Saved me hours of calling and getting disconnected.
the whole system is ridiculous. you pay into unemployment your whole career but when you actually need help during maternity leave they say no. meanwhile men can collect benefits if they get laid off but new mothers get nothing. makes no sense!
Same boat here. Got laid off in September and the whole process has been a disaster. My weekly claims keep getting kicked back for random reasons and customer service is impossible to reach. If unemployment is really down why is NYS Department of Labor still operating like they're overwhelmed?
I had a similar situation last year and was going crazy waiting. Finally found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get through to an actual NYS Department of Labor agent to check on my claim status. They have this video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows exactly how it works. Was so much better than trying to call the regular number and getting hung up on constantly.
The NYS Department of Labor system is so frustrating! Even when employers respond on time, they still take forever to process everything. I swear they make it deliberately difficult so people give up and don't collect benefits they're entitled to.
honestly the whole system is confusing AF and the NYS Department of Labor website doesn't explain things clearly. I've been trying to reach someone by phone for weeks about my claim and can never get through. The automated system just hangs up on you after being on hold forever.
Omar Zaki
I had issues reaching someone at NYS Department of Labor when I needed to verify my eligibility status last year. The phone lines are always busy. I ended up using a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get through to an actual agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Really saved me time instead of calling dozens of times myself.
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CosmicCrusader
•Never heard of that but might be worth trying. The wait times to talk to someone are ridiculous.
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Chloe Robinson
Also make sure you file your claim as soon as possible after becoming unemployed. There's usually a one week waiting period before you can collect benefits, and you can't get paid for weeks before you actually file your initial claim.
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