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The NYS Department of Labor system is completely broken! This happens to people constantly and they never explain what's going on. I've been fighting with them for months over different issues and they just give you the runaround every single time.
If you're having trouble reaching NYS Department of Labor to discuss your specific situation, I recently discovered this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that actually gets you through to speak with real agents. They have a demo video at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Saved me hours of trying to call and getting busy signals when I needed to clarify some details about my claim status.
The whole NYS Department of Labor system is a joke honestly. They make you jump through all these hoops and then take forever to process anything. I've been waiting 3 weeks just to get someone to explain why my claim was flagged for 'review' when I was clearly laid off through no fault of my own. Meanwhile bills keep coming and they act like we can just wait indefinitely for their bureaucracy to move.
Just to add - if you were laid off for economic reasons (company downsizing, lack of work, etc.), your claim should process relatively quickly once they verify your employment history. The delays usually happen when there are questions about the reason for separation or if you have wages from multiple employers that need to be sorted out. Keep filing those weekly claims even if they show $0 - you'll get backpay once your claim is approved.
Restaurant industry is notorious for pulling this crap. They cut your hours instead of laying you off properly so they don't have to pay into the unemployment system as much. At least NY lets you collect partial benefits unlike some states. Make sure you document everything in case they try to fight your claim later.
Tyrone Hill
If you really need to get through to NYS Department of Labor to understand your options better, I had success using a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com). They help you get through to an actual agent when the phone lines are impossible. There's a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Might be worth checking out before you make any drastic decisions.
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Toot-n-Mighty
•never heard of that but honestly anything is better than trying to call NYS Department of Labor directly. those phone lines are a nightmare
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Lena Kowalski
Look into constructive dismissal. If they're making your work environment unbearable or cutting your hours significantly, you might be able to quit and still qualify for benefits. Document everything - the hour cuts, any harassment, policy changes that affect your pay. NYS Department of Labor sometimes approves claims when people quit for 'good cause.
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Sienna Gomez
•I've been keeping track of my schedule changes. They cut me from 35 hours to about 20 hours per week over the last month. Would that count as good cause?
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