The burden of proof is on your employer to show you committed misconduct. Being bad at your job isn't misconduct - it has to be willful violation of company policy or something similar. Document everything you remember about your termination meeting and file that claim ASAP. You've got this!

I went through almost the exact same situation last year - warehouse job, "performance issues" after busy season, no written warnings. Filed my claim and got approved after about 3 weeks. The key is being factual when you describe the separation. Don't get emotional or defensive, just state that you were terminated for alleged performance issues despite having no prior disciplinary actions on record. The lack of documentation from your employer actually helps your case because it shows they didn't follow proper progressive discipline procedures. Stay strong and file that claim today!

just file online as soon as your year is up, the system will tell you if you qualify or not

Gabriel, I went through this exact same thing a few months ago. You don't have to wait at all - you can file a new claim immediately after your benefit year ends. The tricky part is making sure you have enough qualifying wages during your new base period (which is different from your original base period). Since you mentioned working part-time for 8 months, you'll want to add up all your earnings during that time. If you earned at least $2,600 total with $1,600 in your highest earning quarter, you should be good to go. The NYS DOL website has a wage calculator tool that can help you figure out if you meet the requirements before you apply.

Just wanted to update - I got my regular payment this week and the amount was the same as always, but when I log in it shows I have more weeks available now. So you guys were right! Thanks again for clearing this up!

This is really helpful to know! I'm currently on NY unemployment and had no idea they could recalculate benefits automatically like this. Makes me wonder if I should double-check my account more regularly to see if anything changes. It's reassuring to hear that when this happens it's usually good news and not some kind of error that you have to worry about getting clawed back later. Thanks for sharing your experience!

wait they can take money from your paycheck?? i thought unemployment was supposed to HELP people not make things worse! this system is so messed up

I went through this exact situation last year. Yes, they can garnish your wages, but you definitely have options before it gets to that point. First, absolutely request a hearing within those 30 days - even if you think you might owe something, the amount could be wrong. I found out my overpayment was calculated incorrectly and got it reduced by $1,200. Also, keep all your documentation from when you were filing - pay stubs, work schedules, anything that shows what you reported. If you do end up owing money, they're usually reasonable about payment plans. Don't ignore this though - that's when they move to more aggressive collection methods.

Just to clarify - when people say 'unemployment NYC' they're usually just referring to filing for unemployment benefits while living in NYC. It's still the same NYS Department of Labor system. The benefit amount and rules are the same statewide, though job search requirements might vary slightly by region.

Hey @Niko, one more tip - when you file your claim tonight, make sure you have your last employer's exact business name and address handy. The system is pretty picky about matching the info exactly as it appears on your W-2 or pay stubs. Also, if you worked multiple jobs in the past 18 months, you'll need info for all of them. Good luck with your claim!