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Just to add - unemployment isn't 'free money' like some people think. You earned this benefit through working and your employer paying into the system. Don't feel bad about filing if you're eligible! The worst part is dealing with the NYS Department of Labor phone system when you have questions.
I remember being so confused when I first heard about unemployment benefits too! The amount you get is calculated based on your highest quarter of earnings in your base period. So if you made good money recently, your weekly benefit will be higher. Just make sure to file your claim as soon as possible after losing your job because there can be a waiting period.
If you're having trouble getting through to NYS Department of Labor to check on your eligibility status, I used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me actually reach an agent. They have this video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Was way easier than trying to call myself and getting hung up on constantly.
The whole system is designed to trip you up honestly. They'll find any excuse to deny benefits even when you legitimately deserve them. I got disqualified once because I missed ONE weekly claim certification deadline by like 6 hours. Had to go through the whole appeal process just to get my benefits back.
dont quit!!! make them fire you instead. just stop showing up for the shifts you cant work and let them terminate you. then you can claim unemployment no problem. thats what i did when my boss was being unreasonable
wait so if i file today but i lost my job 2 months ago i cant get any money for those 2 months?? that seems really unfair
Oscar Murphy
If you're having trouble getting through to the NYS Department of Labor by phone to ask about your situation, I had success using Claimyr (claimyr.com). They help you get connected to an actual agent instead of sitting on hold forever. There's a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Really saved me time when I needed to check on my claim status last month.
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Mia Roberts
•I'll check that out, thanks! I've heard the phone lines are impossible to get through to.
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Nora Bennett
ugh the whole system is so messed up... minimum wage goes up and small businesses suffer while big corporations just pass the costs to customers. then workers end up unemployed anyway and have to deal with the nightmare that is NYS Department of Labor bureaucracy
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Ryan Andre
•I feel you on the bureaucracy part. The NYS Department of Labor system is definitely not user friendly.
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