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Wait so the employer pays the federal unemployment tax rate but we still have to pay taxes on the benefits we receive? That seems like double taxation to me. The whole system is designed to screw over working people.
I had this same issue a few months ago and couldn't get through to anyone at NYS Department of Labor to ask about extensions. Spent hours on hold. Finally used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that connects you directly to unemployment agents by phone. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. The agent confirmed there were no extensions available but at least I got a definitive answer instead of wondering.
Wait, I'm confused - don't they have something called Extended Benefits or Emergency Unemployment Compensation? I thought those were automatic when regular benefits end??
Don't forget about the regional differences too. Upstate NY has different unemployment challenges than NYC - rural areas need different solutions than urban areas. The NYS Department of Labor tailors programs accordingly. Like in Buffalo they focus more on manufacturing retraining while in the city it's more about tech and finance skills.
omg same thing happened to my boyfriend except his boss tried to say he was drunk when he fell off the ladder!! total bs, he doesnt even drink. some employers are just terrible about this stuff. definitely file workers comp and dont let them scare you
Just to be crystal clear about the money differences - NYS unemployment maxes out at $504/week but workers' comp pays 2/3 of your actual wages with no weekly cap. So if you were making $1200/week, workers' comp would pay you $800/week while unemployment would only pay $504. Plus workers' comp covers all your medical bills which unemployment obviously doesn't do.
Isla Fischer
I had such a hard time getting through to NYS Department of Labor when I had questions about this exact situation. Spent hours on hold and kept getting disconnected. Finally found this service called Claimyr at claimyr.com that helped me reach an actual agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Made the whole process so much easier than trying to call myself.
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Sophie Duck
•That's interesting, I've been dreading having to call if I run into any issues. How does that service work exactly?
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Isla Fischer
•They basically handle the calling and waiting for you, then connect you when they get an agent on the line. Way better than sitting on hold for hours.
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Miles Hammonds
The whole system is so confusing! I wish they made it clearer what happens when you go back to work. I'm always worried I'm going to do something wrong and owe money back.
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Ruby Blake
•Totally agree. The NYS Department of Labor website has the info but it's buried in so much text. Just be honest about your work start date and you'll be fine.
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