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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!
The whole unemployment system is designed to deny as many people as possible! They make it confusing on purpose so people give up and don't appeal. Don't let them win - fight this denial even if it takes months. I had to go through THREE levels of appeals before they finally approved my claim.
Most common denial reasons I've seen: 1) Base period wages too low 2) Fired for misconduct 3) Quit without good cause 4) Not available for work 5) Fraud allegations. Since yours says insufficient wages, focus on gathering ALL your wage documentation. Also check if they used the right base period - sometimes you can request an alternate base period if the standard one doesn't include your recent higher earnings.
If you run into issues reaching NYS Department of Labor by phone (which is super common), I found this service called Claimyr that helped me get through to an actual agent. Check out claimyr.com - they have a demo video at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Really saved me when I needed to check on my claim status and couldn't get through the regular phone lines.
Been collecting unemployment for 2 months now and honestly the job search requirements are intense regardless of unemployment rates. They want detailed logs of every application, every contact, every interview. It's like a full time job just documenting your job search for NYS Department of Labor.
Wait, are you supposed to keep detailed logs? I've just been writing down company names and dates. Am I doing this wrong?
Same boat here, they definitely seem stricter lately. My case worker keeps emphasizing that I need to expand my search radius and consider jobs that pay less than my previous position. Apparently when unemployment is low they expect you to be less picky about suitable work.
Gavin King
Manufacturing jobs are tough to replace nowadays. I was in a similar situation a few years back and it took me almost the full 26 weeks to find something decent. Don't get discouraged if it takes longer than expected - the job market for experienced workers can be challenging. Just make sure you're documenting all your job search activities because NYS Department of Labor can audit that stuff.
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Aaliyah Reed
OMG this is exactly what I needed to know! I'm in week 3 of unemployment and getting super anxious about running out of money. 26 weeks seems reasonable but not great... do they ever extend it if there's like a recession or something??
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Benjamin Johnson
•Extended benefits programs can be triggered during high unemployment periods, but they're not guaranteed and the requirements are strict. Don't plan your finances around potential extensions.
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