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THE WHOLE UNEMPLOYMENT SYSTEM IS A SCAM! They deny legitimate claims left and right then make you jump through hoops to prove you deserve your own money. I've been fighting them for 8 months over an overpayment that isn't even my fault. These people have NO accountability whatsoever!
The whole system is messed up!! They expect us to find jobs when there ARE NO JOBS. Then they threaten to cut benefits if we don't apply to enough places. It's like they don't understand basic economics - when unemployment is high, there's literally not enough work to go around!
Been through a few of these economic downturns over the years. The key is to cast a wider net - apply to temp agencies, consider part-time work, maybe look into retraining programs. NYS Department of Labor sometimes has additional resources during high unemployment periods. Don't give up, the cycle always turns around eventually.
Just to add - if you're having trouble getting through to NYS Department of Labor to ask questions about your claim, I recently discovered this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helps you get connected to actual agents. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. I was stuck in adjudication for weeks and couldn't get anyone on the phone until I tried them. Might be worth checking out if you need to speak with someone about your benefits calculation.
Did you actually get through to someone? I've been calling the NYS Department of Labor number for two weeks and keep getting that busy signal or getting disconnected.
this whole system is ridiculous, they make you jump through hoops to get unemployment then tax you on it like its some kind of bonus income when you're already struggling financially
If unemployment was your only income and it was under $13,850 (the 2024 standard deduction), you're not required to file federal taxes. But you might want to anyway because you could get money back if you had taxes withheld. For New York state, the threshold is different so check with a tax professional.
Chloe Harris
If your employer disputes your claim, it goes into adjudication and can take weeks to resolve. I've been waiting 3 weeks for my adjudication decision and still haven't heard anything. The NYS Department of Labor phone lines are impossible to get through - I've called hundreds of times. Someone recently told me about this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helps you actually reach NYS Department of Labor agents by phone. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Might be worth checking out if you run into issues getting through to them.
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Diego Vargas
•3 weeks in adjudication is brutal... I hope you hear something soon. The waiting is the worst part.
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NeonNinja
Also remember you have to be able and available for work and actively looking for a job. That means registering on the NY job portal and doing job search activities every week. Don't skip this part - they can audit your job search log at any time and if you haven't been keeping up with the requirements, they can disqualify you even if you qualified initially.
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Isabella Ferreira
•How many job search activities do I need to do per week? The website wasn't super clear about the exact number.
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NeonNinja
•It's 3 job search activities per week minimum. Can be job applications, networking events, career fairs, interviews, etc. Just keep detailed records of everything.
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