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I always thought it was just about helping people pay bills but there's actually a lot more strategy behind it. When lots of people lose jobs at once, unemployment benefits help prevent a total economic collapse because people can still buy groceries and pay rent.
Your professor probably wants you to focus on those two core functions - income replacement for individuals and economic stabilization for society. That's the standard academic framework for analyzing unemployment insurance systems.
wait i thought you needed to work full time to get unemployment?? i only worked part time too and was told i didnt qualify
The whole unemployment system is a JOKE. They make you jump through ridiculous hoops just to get benefits you already paid into through your taxes. And don't even get me started on how long adjudication takes if they have any questions about your eligibility!
I'm so confused about all this! I just got laid off and I have no idea what I'll qualify for. Do they look at my gross pay or net pay? And what if I had a raise during the year - does that help or hurt my benefits calculation? This whole process is overwhelming and I'm worried I won't get enough to cover my bills.
They use your gross wages, not net pay. A raise during your base period could help if it increases your highest quarter earnings. Don't worry - the NYS Department of Labor will calculate everything automatically when you file your claim. Focus on getting your application submitted with accurate employment history.
Jacinda Yu
If you're having trouble getting through to NYS Department of Labor by phone to file claims or check status, I found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helps you actually reach an agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Really saved me when I was stuck in adjudication and couldn't get through the regular way.
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Hugo Kass
•Good to know there are options if I run into problems. Hopefully I won't need it but I'll keep that in mind.
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Landon Flounder
Just to add - make sure you're filing your weekly claims on time every week through the correct NY system. Missing a week can cause delays in your benefits.
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