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I had this exact problem and couldn't get through to anyone at NYS Department of Labor for weeks. The phone lines are always busy and the online chat never works. Super frustrating when you're trying to stay compliant with your weekly claims.
If you're having trouble reaching NYS Department of Labor by phone, I found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helps people get through to unemployment agents. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Might be worth checking out for situations like this where you need to speak to someone about training requirements.
Just tell him to apply honestly. The worst they can say is no and then you know for sure. NYS Department of Labor will review his work history and wages automatically when he files the claim. If he doesn't qualify they'll send him a determination letter explaining why. But from what you described it sounds like he should be fine. Restaurant workers get laid off all the time and most of them qualify for benefits.
One thing to mention - make sure he applies as soon as possible! You can't get retroactive benefits for weeks before you file your claim. So even if he's not 100% sure about eligibility, it's better to apply now and find out rather than wait and potentially lose out on weeks of benefits.
If you're having trouble getting through to the NYS Department of Labor by phone to ask questions about your claim, I had success using a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com). They help you get connected to an actual agent without waiting on hold for hours. There's a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Really helped when I needed to clarify some details about my claim status.
Just remember you have to actively look for work and document your job search activities. NYS Department of Labor requires you to make at least 3 job contacts per week and keep records. If you don't do the work search requirements they can disqualify you and you'll have to pay back benefits.
If you have trouble getting through to NYS Department of Labor to ask questions about your benefit amount, I used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me reach an actual agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Was super helpful when I couldn't get through on my own after weeks of trying.
Melody Miles
I had trouble getting through to NYS Department of Labor when I needed to check on my claim status after filing. Kept getting busy signals and disconnected calls. Someone told me about this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helps you actually reach an agent. There's a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Saved me hours of calling.
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Sophia Carter
•Is it legit? I'm always skeptical of third-party services for government stuff.
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Melody Miles
•Yeah it's real. They just help you get through the phone queue faster. Was way better than spending my whole day redialing the same number.
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Nathaniel Mikhaylov
The NYS Department of Labor system is so broken. I filed immediately when I got fired last year and it STILL took them 6 weeks to process my claim. Then they wanted all this additional documentation that they never asked for initially. It's like they design the system to frustrate people into giving up.
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Eva St. Cyr
•That's rough but at least you got it eventually right? Better than not filing at all.
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