yeah definitely document stuff but also make sure you understand what counts as good cause. unsafe work conditions, harassment, discrimination, significant pay cuts, major job duty changes - stuff like that. just being unhappy with your boss or coworkers usually doesn't qualify unfortunately

I went through a similar situation about 6 months ago. The hostile work environment piece is key - you'll want to show a pattern of behavior, not just isolated incidents. I kept a journal with dates, times, witnesses present, and exact quotes when possible. Also save any written communications that show the hostile behavior. When I filed, I made sure to be very specific about how the environment affected my ability to do my job and my health. The adjudication process was nerve-wracking but having that documentation really helped my case. One tip: if you have any performance reviews or emails showing you were doing good work before the hostile environment started, that can help show the situation wasn't related to your job performance.

This is heartbreaking to read about your friend's situation. While the others are absolutely right about the legal requirements for unemployment benefits, I want to emphasize how important it is for your friend to be extremely cautious. Using someone else's Social Security number is considered identity theft under federal law, and filing for benefits could potentially expose them to serious legal consequences beyond just being denied. I would strongly encourage them to speak with an immigration attorney immediately - many offer free consultations or work on sliding scale fees. The attorney can help assess their overall situation and advise on the safest path forward. In the meantime, the community organizations others mentioned are definitely the way to go for immediate support with food and basic needs.

I'm really glad to see so many people offering thoughtful advice and resources here. As someone who has worked with immigrant communities, I want to emphasize that your friend's safety should be the absolute top priority right now. The advice about contacting immigration attorneys and community organizations like Make the Road NY is spot on. I'd also suggest looking into local churches and community centers - many have emergency funds or food assistance that don't require documentation. Catholic Charities and other faith-based organizations often help regardless of status. In terms of work, day labor centers and some construction/restaurant jobs may be more flexible, though I understand the challenges there. Your friend has been contributing to their community through their work, and now it's time for the community to support them back. Please encourage them to reach out to these organizations soon - the sooner they connect with proper support systems, the better positioned they'll be to navigate this difficult period safely.

Also make sure ur checking ur unemployment messages every day!! sometimes they send weird questionnaires u gotta answer right away or they stop ur payments!!!

Just want to echo what everyone else is saying - definitely don't file a new claim! I work part-time for a small business that has seasonal shutdowns, and I've been through this exact situation multiple times. The key is to stay on your current claim and just accurately report your work status each week. During the renovation weeks, you'll report zero work days and zero earnings, and you should receive your full weekly benefit amount. When you return to work after renovations, just start reporting your work days again normally. The system handles these temporary work interruptions really well as long as you don't try to start a new claim. Your supervisor probably means well but like others mentioned, most employers don't really understand the technical side of unemployment claims. Stick with your current claim and you'll be fine!

Had the exact same issue last week! What finally worked for me was using a different device entirely - tried my phone instead of laptop and it went through immediately. Also make sure you're using the correct URL (labor.ny.gov/signin) because there are some fake lookalike sites that will mess with your login attempts. If all else fails, definitely try that claimyr service people are mentioning - heard good things about it from others in this group.

I've been dealing with this for weeks and finally got through! Try using the mobile app instead of the website - for some reason it's way more stable. Also, if you have any special characters in your password (like @, #, etc.), try changing it to just letters and numbers. The system seems to have issues with special characters even though it allows them when you create the password. Super frustrating but hopefully one of these solutions works for you!

am i the only 1 who thinks its ridiculous we have to jump through all these hoops just to get help when we're already stressed about losing our jobs? 🤔 the system is broken af

Just wanted to add - if you're having trouble getting through on the phone, try calling on different days of the week. I found that Tuesdays and Wednesdays around 10am seemed to have shorter wait times than Mondays or Fridays. Also, have your unemployment insurance number ready if you already have one from your initial application - it speeds things up a lot. Don't get discouraged if it takes a few tries to get through, the system is overwhelmed but the reps are generally helpful once you reach them.