


Ask the community...
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.
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.
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.
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.
Honestly the whole system is confusing and they don't explain anything clearly. I've been dealing with NYS Department of Labor for months and half the time I don't understand what they're asking for. But no, unemployment is definitely not social security - completely different bureaucracies making your life difficult in different ways!
Just to add - your unemployment benefits might be taxable income for federal taxes, but that's different from affecting Social Security. Make sure you're setting aside money for taxes if you're not having them withheld from your NYS Department of Labor payments.
Chloe Martin
wait so even if they contest it i can still get benefits while its being reviewed? or do i have to wait until nys department of labor decides?
0 coins
Omar Fawaz
You should continue filing your weekly claims during the adjudication process. If you're ultimately approved, you'll receive back pay for those weeks. If you're denied, you won't owe anything back. But definitely keep filing your weekly claims and doing your job search activities as required.
0 coins