I understand your frustration with the religious accommodation issue. You should definitely document everything about your religious practices and the fact that you need Sundays off for religious observance. When you go to your appeal hearing, bring any documentation you have about your religious beliefs and explain that refusing work due to religious reasons is protected. NYS Department of Labor has to consider religious accommodations under both state and federal law. You might also want to contact a legal aid organization that handles employment issues - they sometimes take cases involving religious discrimination for free or low cost. Don't give up on the appeal process, even though it's frustrating.

Religious accommodation is definitely a protected right that NYS Department of Labor should have considered before denying your benefits. The fact that you couldn't work Sundays due to religious observance isn't a valid "work refusal" under labor law. Beyond the appeal process, you might want to file a complaint with the New York State Division of Human Rights if they didn't properly evaluate your religious accommodation request. While you can't directly sue for monetary damages in most cases, documenting religious discrimination could strengthen your position. Keep detailed records of all communications and make sure to emphasize in your appeal that this was a religious accommodation issue, not simply refusing work.

As an update for everyone, the official NYSDOL posted about this exact scam on their social media last week. They confirmed they NEVER initiate requests for personal information via DocuSign emails without first notifying you through your secure NY.gov account. Always log directly into your account through https://unemployment.labor.ny.gov (type it directly in your browser) to check for legitimate communications.

Just wanted to add another red flag to watch for - legitimate NYSDOL communications will usually reference your specific claim number or case details that only they would know. Scam emails are often generic and don't include any personal details from your actual claim. Also, if you're ever unsure, you can always visit your local Career Center in person to verify any communications. They can check your account directly and confirm whether something is legitimate or not. I know it's inconvenient, but sometimes it's worth the peace of mind, especially with identity theft being such a huge problem these days. Stay vigilant everyone - these scammers are getting more creative every day!

My sister went through this investigation last year and it turned out fine, just took forever. The key is responding to every request promptly and being completely honest about everything. They're mostly looking for people who filed fake claims or worked under the table while collecting benefits.

I'm going through the exact same thing right now! Got my investigation letter about 3 weeks ago and I'm still gathering all the documents they requested. One thing that's been helpful is creating a timeline of everything that happened during my unemployment period - when I filed, when I received payments, any work I did, etc. Also keep copies of everything you send them because they sometimes claim they never received documents. The waiting is the worst part but from what I'm reading here it sounds like most legitimate claims get cleared eventually. Stay strong and don't let the process intimidate you if you know you did everything right!

same boat here - got laid off and trying to figure out if i qualify. thanks for asking this question!

Since you started in March, you'll likely need to wait until you have enough quarters and wages built up to qualify. The base period they look at is usually the first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters before you file. So if you filed today, they'd typically look at Q1 2024 through Q4 2024. Since you just started in March 2025, you might not have enough earnings history yet. However, if you don't qualify under the regular base period, they'll automatically check the alternative base period which uses the most recent 4 completed quarters - this could potentially help you if you had previous employment. Keep detailed records of all your wages and work history just in case!

good for you for trying to better yourself! the job market sucks right now so might as well use the time to learn something new

I went through this exact situation about 8 months ago and here's what I learned: You absolutely need to contact your local One-Stop Career Center BEFORE enrolling in any classes. They can help determine if you qualify for programs like WIOA or TAA that will actually pay for your training. I ended up getting approved for a web development bootcamp that was 100% covered, and I was able to continue receiving UI benefits throughout the program. The key is getting the proper approval first - don't just enroll and hope for the best. Each local office has slightly different procedures, so definitely go in person if you can rather than trying to navigate this over the phone.