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Also don't forget you'll need to do weekly claims every week to keep getting benefits. And they have job search requirements now - you need to do work search activities and keep a log. The whole system is such a pain but at least the money helps while you're looking.
I had a nightmare trying to get through to NYS Department of Labor about my 1099-G last year. Their phone lines are always busy and the online chat never works. If you can't find your form online, you might want to try claimyr.com - they help people get through to actual NYS Department of Labor agents. There's a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Saved me hours of calling.
The whole system is ridiculous! Employers can fire you for basically anything and then try to block your unemployment too. I got fired for being 5 minutes late ONCE and had to fight for months to get my benefits. NYS Department of Labor always sides with the employer first.
When you file your claim, make sure to explain exactly what happened - that it was an economic layoff due to the employer's inability to meet new wage requirements. Don't just put 'laid off' - be specific. Also keep any documentation from your employer about the layoff if they gave you anything in writing. NYS Department of Labor sometimes asks for additional information during the adjudication process.
The whole minimum wage situation is creating so many problems for small businesses. My friend owns a coffee shop and she's been struggling ever since the increases started. But you're right that workers shouldn't be penalized for economic decisions they had no control over. The unemployment system exists for exactly these situations.
Lucas Kowalski
I've been trying to get through to NYS Department of Labor for weeks about my own claim issues and it's impossible. If you need to actually talk to someone about this wages in lieu situation, I recently found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helps you get through to unemployment agents. They have a video demo showing how it works: https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI. Saved me hours of calling and getting disconnected.
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Olivia Martinez
•How does that work exactly? Do they just keep calling for you or what?
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Lucas Kowalski
•They basically handle the calling process and get you connected to an actual person at NYS Department of Labor. Way better than sitting on hold for hours.
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Charlie Yang
The whole wages in lieu thing is so confusing! I got severance when I was laid off and wasn't sure if that was the same thing. Turns out severance is different - you can collect unemployment right away with severance but not with wages in lieu of notice. The NYS Department of Labor website should really explain this stuff better.
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