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The whole system is so confusing honestly. I tried to file last year and got denied because apparently I didn't work enough hours even though I had two jobs. Then I had to appeal and it took FOREVER to get resolved. Make sure you double check everything before you submit because once it's in the system it's hard to fix mistakes.
Don't forget you also need to file your weekly claims every week even if your initial claim is still being processed. A lot of people miss this and then lose out on benefits for those weeks. The weekly claim asks about any work you did that week and any income you received. You have to do this every single week to keep getting benefits.
honestly the whole system is rigged against small businesses, you're damned if you do damned if you dont with these worker classifications. NYS Department of Labor just wants to collect more taxes so they'll find any excuse to call your contractors employees
I had claims in both 2021 and recently. The online system is much more stable now - no more constant crashes. But if you need to actually speak to someone at NYS Department of Labor about your claim status, I found this service called Claimyr that helped me get through. They have a demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Way better than sitting on hold for hours.
How does that work exactly? I've been trying to reach someone about my adjudication for 2 weeks now.
You just go to claimyr.com and they help you get connected to an actual NYS Department of Labor agent. Saved me so much time and frustration.
The benefit calculation formula hasn't changed much since 2021, but they did adjust some of the earnings thresholds slightly. Your weekly benefit amount is still based on your highest earning quarter in your base period. The main difference now is that standby claims are processed faster and the job search verification is more streamlined through the online portal.
Make sure you have all your paperwork ready for the hearing. The judge will want to see proof of the layoff - company announcements, WARN notices if they filed one, anything showing multiple people were let go at the same time. Your word alone might not be enough.
Edwards Hugo
The whole system is designed to pay out as little as possible while making you jump through endless hoops. Even if you qualify for the maximum, they'll find ways to delay or reduce your payments. I've been fighting with them for weeks over some arbitrary adjudication issue that makes no sense.
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Gianna Scott
Just wanted to add that the dependent allowance can really help if you have kids. I get an extra $200 per week for my two children on top of my regular benefit amount. Make sure you claim your dependents when you file - you can't add them later easily.
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Katherine Hunter
•Good to know! I don't have kids but that's definitely something people should be aware of.
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