This whole system is so frustrating! Companies think they can just eliminate positions when people are on maternity leave and get away with it. At least unemployment is available but the process is still a nightmare to navigate.

I went through something very similar when my employer "restructured" while I was on maternity leave. The NYS Department of Labor approved my claim without any issues once I provided the FMLA documentation and termination letter. One thing that really helped was being very clear on my application that I was on approved leave with a guaranteed job to return to, and that the employer eliminated the position during my protected leave period. Make sure you emphasize that you were ready and able to return to work when your leave ended. The whole process took about 2-3 weeks for me to get my first payment. Don't let them intimidate you - you absolutely deserve these benefits!

6 months really isn't that long when you think about it. The job market is still pretty tough out there, especially in manufacturing. Make sure you're not just relying on unemployment - look into retraining programs or temp work to bridge the gap.

@Logan Stewart, I went through a similar situation last year after being laid off from my manufacturing job. The 26 weeks (6 months) is standard, but I'd strongly recommend starting your job search immediately and not waiting. I also found that NYS Department of Labor has some good resources for manufacturing workers - they sometimes have job fairs specifically for our industry and retraining programs if you want to learn new skills. Don't forget to apply for your benefits right away since there's usually a waiting period. The weekly amount will be based on your previous 8 years of earnings, so with your work history you should qualify for a decent benefit amount. Good luck!

def file, you earned it and they expect people to use UI when they get laid off. thats literally what its for

Miguel, you're being way too considerate here! I understand caring about your former employer, but unemployment insurance is literally designed for situations exactly like yours. Think of it this way - your employer has been paying into this system specifically so that if they ever had to lay people off, those workers would have a safety net. It's not charity, it's an earned benefit. The company knew this cost existed when they made the decision to lay you off. File immediately and don't look back - you need to take care of yourself first.

Just wanted to say hang in there! I know how stressful this is when you're counting on those benefits. The appeal process gave me so much anxiety but it worked out in the end.

I'm dealing with a similar situation right now - my claim was also denied for "misconduct" when I was actually part of company-wide layoffs. It's so frustrating when you know the employer gave false information. I've been gathering all my documentation including the WARN notice our company filed and emails about the restructuring. One thing I learned is to also request your personnel file from HR if you haven't already - sometimes there are notes or memos in there that can help prove it was a layoff and not misconduct. The 30-day deadline to appeal is really important so don't wait. I'm still in the process but my lawyer friend told me that wrongful denial cases like ours have pretty good success rates at appeal hearings.

any update? did u get thru?

Wow, I'm so glad to see this thread because I'm dealing with the exact same nightmare right now! My claim has been stuck for 3 weeks with a "break in claim" error even though I've certified every single week without fail. The phone system is absolutely brutal - I've called hundreds of times and either get a busy signal or get disconnected after waiting on hold for hours. It's incredibly frustrating when you're depending on these benefits to survive. Reading through everyone's experiences here, it sounds like this is a widespread glitch with their new system. I'm definitely going to try that Claimyr service that several people mentioned - at this point I'm willing to try anything to get through to an actual human being who can fix this mess!