New York Unemployment
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Can't reach New York Unemployment? Claimyr calls for you, so you don't have to wait on hold.
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Using Claimyr will:
- Connect you to a human agent at the NYDOL
- Skip the long phone menu
- Call the correct department
- Redial until on hold
- Forward a call to your phone with reduced hold time
- Give you free callbacks if the NYDOL drops your call
Ask the community...
- DO post questions about your issues.
- DO answer questions and support each other.
- DO post tips & tricks to help folks.
- DO NOT post call problems here - there is a support tab at the top for that :)
Where do I file for unemployment if I moved - NYS Department of Labor question
I just moved from upstate New York to Brooklyn last month and I'm confused about where I need to file my unemployment claim. I was working in Albany until December and got laid off, but now my address is completely different. Do I still file with NYS Department of Labor since my last job was in New York? Or does it matter that I moved? I'm worried I'm going to mess something up if I file in the wrong place. Has anyone dealt with this situation before?
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NYS Department of Labor claim after losing job when minimum wage increase caused layoffs - am I eligible?
My employer had to let me and 3 other people go last month because they couldn't afford to pay the new minimum wage rates that went into effect. I worked there for almost 2 years as a cashier at a small family restaurant. When I tried to file for unemployment with NYS Department of Labor, I'm worried they might deny my claim because technically I wasn't fired for performance issues or anything like that. The owner said he just couldn't keep all of us on with the wage increase. Has anyone dealt with this situation before? Will NYS Department of Labor consider this a valid reason for unemployment benefits or do they see it differently when it's related to minimum wage laws?
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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.
Does an employer have to approve unemployment benefits in New York?
I got laid off from my job last month and filed for unemployment with NYS Department of Labor. My claim is still pending and I'm wondering - does my former employer have to approve my unemployment claim for me to get benefits? A coworker told me employers can block unemployment claims but I'm not sure if that's true. Can someone explain how this works?
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I had a similar situation where I couldn't get through to anyone at NYS Department of Labor to check on my contested claim status. After weeks of busy signals, I found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that actually gets you connected to real agents. There's a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Saved me so much frustration trying to call myself.
Interesting, never heard of that before. Did they charge you a lot to make the call?
They focus more on the convenience factor rather than cost. For me it was worth it just to finally talk to someone about my claim instead of getting hung up on constantly.
Been through this twice now. Your employer can definitely make things difficult by contesting but NYS Department of Labor usually sides with the employee if you were legitimately laid off. Just make sure you have any documentation about your layoff and keep filing your weekly claims even during the adjudication process.
Should I apply for unemployment after layoff - NYS Department of Labor filing advice needed
Got laid off from my marketing job yesterday and I'm honestly not sure if I should file for unemployment benefits right away. My supervisor said something about the company possibly calling people back in a few months but nothing definite. I've never filed for unemployment before and don't really understand the process. Do I need to wait to see if they rehire me or should I apply for unemployment after layoff immediately? Also worried about messing something up on the application since I have no idea what I'm doing with NYS Department of Labor forms.
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The whole unemployment system is such a mess honestly. They make it so complicated when people are already stressed about losing their jobs. But yeah you have to play their game and file immediately or you're screwed.
Does your old job pay for unemployment benefits through NYS Department of Labor?
I just got laid off from my construction job last month and I'm trying to understand how unemployment works. My buddy told me that my old employer actually pays for my unemployment benefits, not the government. Is this true? I'm confused because I thought unemployment came from taxes or something. When I file my weekly claims with NYS Department of Labor, where is that money actually coming from? Does my former boss have to write a check every week or how does this work?
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I had such a hard time getting through to anyone at NYS Department of Labor when I had questions about this stuff last year. Kept getting busy signals or getting hung up on after waiting forever. Finally found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that actually got me connected to a real person at the unemployment office. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Made the whole process so much easier when I needed to verify my claim details.
That sounds really helpful! I've been trying to call them for days with no luck.
The whole system is set up so workers don't have to worry about the funding details. You pay into the system through your work, employers pay their share, and when you need benefits you file your claim. The NYS Department of Labor handles all the backend financial stuff between employers and the state fund.
Sean Flanagan
If you're having trouble getting through to NYS Department of Labor to update your address or verify your claim status, you might want to check out claimyr.com - they help people get through to agents when the phone lines are jammed. There's a demo video at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. I used it last year when I couldn't reach anyone about my adjudication issue.
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Anastasia Popova
AuthorThanks for the suggestion! The phone lines have been impossible lately. I'll check that out if I run into issues.
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Nia Wilson
Just to add - when you file your weekly claims, make sure your new address is correct because they might mail you important documents. I missed an appointment notice once because my address wasn't updated and almost lost my benefits.
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