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The NYS Department of Labor system is ridiculous with seasonal workers. I've been doing this for 5 years and they STILL make me jump through hoops every time. Last year they tried to say I wasn't actively seeking work even though I had a return date. Had to appeal and everything.
This is actually pretty fascinating! I had no idea there was this whole funding mechanism behind unemployment benefits. Makes me feel less guilty about collecting when I was between jobs last year.
The system has been around since the 1930s and it's one of the few government programs that's actually mostly self-funding through employer contributions rather than general tax revenue. NYS Department of Labor manages the state fund but the structure is similar across all states.
Also remember you can get benefits for up to 26 weeks typically, unless there's extended benefits available. And you have to do the job search requirements - 3 work search activities per week minimum.
omg yes the calling is THE WORST! i've probably spent 20 hours trying to reach someone at NYS Department of Labor
Anastasia Smirnova
I had trouble getting through to NYS Department of Labor when my claim was delayed last year. Ended up using a service called Claimyr that actually got me connected to an agent who could check my status. It's at claimyr.com and they have a demo video at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Saved me weeks of trying to call on my own. Might be worth trying if you need to talk to someone about your timeline.
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Ravi Malhotra
•Interesting, I've never heard of that before. Did they charge you anything or was it free to use?
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Anastasia Smirnova
•There is a cost but it was worth it to actually reach someone who could give me real answers about my claim status instead of just waiting and wondering.
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Sean O'Brien
Just want to say hang in there! I know waiting is stressful especially with bills coming up. The good news is that if you get approved, your benefits will be backdated to when you first filed. So even if it takes a few weeks, you'll still get paid for this waiting period.
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