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The key thing is whether it was misconduct or not. Being late can be tricky - if you had warnings and kept doing it anyway, they might consider it willful misconduct. But if there were circumstances beyond your control or it wasn't that serious, you could still qualify. When I had issues reaching NYS Department of Labor agents to ask questions about my case, I used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helps you get through to an actual person. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Really helped me get answers quickly instead of waiting on hold forever.
Don't forget you also might qualify for partial benefits if you're working reduced hours! NYS Department of Labor has rules about earning up to a certain amount and still getting some unemployment payment. Saved my butt when I got cut to 2 days a week.
I'm so confused about all this! I just got laid off and I have no idea what I'll qualify for. Do they look at my gross pay or net pay? And what if I had a raise during the year - does that help or hurt my benefits calculation? This whole process is overwhelming and I'm worried I won't get enough to cover my bills.
They use your gross wages, not net pay. A raise during your base period could help if it increases your highest quarter earnings. Don't worry - the NYS Department of Labor will calculate everything automatically when you file your claim. Focus on getting your application submitted with accurate employment history.
honestly the whole system is a mess right now, unemployment numbers don't even reflect reality because so many people gave up looking or are working gig jobs that don't get counted properly
Back to your original question - if you're looking at this strategically, focus on sectors that are actively hiring rather than areas with high unemployment. Healthcare, tech, and skilled trades are showing consistent job growth in NY. The unemployment rate tells you about job losses, but job creation data tells you about opportunities.
Zara Ahmed
I always thought it was just about helping people pay bills but there's actually a lot more strategy behind it. When lots of people lose jobs at once, unemployment benefits help prevent a total economic collapse because people can still buy groceries and pay rent.
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Luca Conti
Your professor probably wants you to focus on those two core functions - income replacement for individuals and economic stabilization for society. That's the standard academic framework for analyzing unemployment insurance systems.
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ShadowHunter
•Perfect, that's exactly what I needed to structure my paper around. Thanks everyone!
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