Same thing happened to my brother - fired for 'poor performance' but really they just wanted to get rid of him before his probation period ended. He got unemployment no problem. Just be honest on your application and let NYS Department of Labor sort it out.

yeah i got fired and got unemployment no problem just file online and see what happens worst they can do is say no

I mean the money is whatever but the real question is how fast you can get it and how long it lasts. 26 weeks goes by pretty quick if you're in a tough job market

Been on UI twice in the past few years and honestly it's been a lifesaver both times. The $504 weekly plus the extended benefits during tough economic periods really helped bridge the gap. Sure the NYS Department of Labor bureaucracy can be frustrating but the actual benefit structure is solid. Just make sure you understand the difference between regular UI and standby if your employer puts you on temporary layoff.

THE SYSTEM IS BROKEN!!! 'In progress' is just their way of saying 'we'll get to you when we feel like it.' I've been waiting 5 weeks for my claim to move past this stupid status. Meanwhile they expect us to jump through hoops with job searches and weekly certifications while they take their sweet time.

yeah mine said in progress too but then i got a letter in the mail asking for more info about why i left my job. check your mail and also look for any messages in your online account, sometimes they request stuff and you don't notice

The system is designed so employers aren't paying benefits directly but you're still funding it through the UI tax system. If you have trouble reaching NYS Department of Labor about your tax rate or have questions about claims filed against your account, I used claimyr.com recently and they got me through to an agent really quickly. There's a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Saved me hours of calling.

Just make sure you respond to any requests for information from NYS Department of Labor about the separations. If they need verification about why the employees were laid off you want to respond quickly or it can delay their benefits and create problems for everyone.

This whole system is such a mess honestly. Whether it's state or federal funded doesn't matter when you can't even get through to anyone at NYS Department of Labor to get basic questions answered. I've been dealing with an overpayment notice for months and still don't understand how they calculated it.

Thanks for asking this! I was wondering the same thing when I saw different unemployment rates mentioned for different states on the news.