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The appeal process for wrongful denial can take several weeks but it's definitely worth fighting if you were truly laid off. Make sure you keep filing your weekly claims even while the appeal is pending - you can get backpay if you win. Also document everything about your job search in case they ask about that during the appeal hearing.
The unemployment system is so messed up honestly. They make it seem like there's all these different categories but really it just comes down to whether they want to approve you or not. I've seen people get denied for the stupidest reasons and others get approved when they probably shouldn't have.
From my experience, the most straightforward cases are mass layoffs, plant closures, and end of temporary assignments. Individual terminations get more scrutiny. Make sure you have documentation of your separation and be honest about the circumstances when you file.
The unemployment system is BROKEN! Six months and you still can't find work? That's not your fault, that's the economy being rigged against working people. NYS Department of Labor keeps talking about low unemployment but those numbers don't reflect people who've given up looking or are underemployed in gig work.
Don't give up! I was unemployed for 8 months before landing my current job. The key is treating job searching like a full-time job itself. I know the NYS Department of Labor only requires 3 job contacts per week but I was doing 10-15. Also make sure you're keeping detailed records in case they audit your job search log.
DONT GIVE UP! The NYS Department of Labor denies tons of valid claims hoping people wont appeal. I got denied twice and won both appeals because I had my paperwork in order. Get your termination letter, pay stubs, anything that proves you were laid off not fired.
MidnightRider
If you're having trouble reaching someone at NYS Department of Labor to clarify the requirements, I used a service called Claimyr that helped me get through to an actual agent. Check out claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows exactly how it works. It was really helpful when I needed to verify my job search requirements and make sure I wasn't going to lose my benefits over a misunderstanding.
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CyberNinja
•That sounds useful! I've been trying to call the NYS Department of Labor for weeks but can never get through.
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Andre Laurent
Most important thing is just be honest about everything and keep good records. The NYS Department of Labor will audit claims randomly so you want to have documentation ready if they ask for it.
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