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Honestly this whole conversation reminds me of when I was laid off last year and couldn't get through to anyone at NYS Department of Labor for weeks. The irony of discussing 'healthy unemployment' when the system for helping unemployed people is so broken... but I guess that's a different issue entirely.
Sorry you had trouble reaching them. If you ever need to get through to NYS Department of Labor agents again, I found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that handles the calling for you. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Way easier than sitting on hold for hours.
The way I think about it is like this - if unemployment is at zero, it means the economy has no shock absorbers. When recessions hit (and they always do), you need some flexibility in the labor market to adjust without everything collapsing. Plus zero unemployment usually means wages have gotten so high that companies start automating jobs or moving operations elsewhere.
Just make sure your previous claim is totally finished before filing a new one. I had some confusion when I tried to file too quickly and it created complications with my benefit year dates. NYS Department of Labor had to sort it out but it delayed my payments for a few weeks.
If you're having trouble getting through to NYS Department of Labor to clarify your situation, I found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me reach an actual agent when I couldn't get through on my own. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Really helped when I needed to verify my eligibility for a second claim.
I was in a similar situation last year - got laid off from part time work. The thing that surprised me is they look at ALL your wages during the base period, not just your most recent job. So even though my recent job was only part time, my earlier full time work helped me qualify for a higher benefit amount. Definitely file even if you're not 100% sure you qualify - the worst they can say is no.
CosmicCowboy
just file anyway!! they cant deny you for trying and worst case they say no but at least you tried. i got fired for being late too many times but still got my benefits because it wasnt like i was stealing or anything serious
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Amina Diallo
The NYS Department of Labor system is so messed up though. Even if you qualify they'll find some reason to delay your claim for weeks. I've been waiting 3 weeks just for them to make a decision on my case and nobody can tell me what's taking so long. But yeah definitely file because you never know.
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Oliver Schulz
•Same here! The whole process is so frustrating. At least we're not alone in this struggle.
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