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Been dealing with this mess for months. The whole system is backwards - you need money to survive but every program has rules that conflict with the others. I'm on SSDI and lost my part-time job but afraid to file unemployment because of exactly what you're talking about.
You know what really gets me? They make this process SO difficult for people who are already stressed about losing their jobs. Like they WANT you to give up and not collect. The whole system needs to be overhauled but nobody in Albany cares about working people.
I had a nightmare trying to reach someone at NYS Department of Labor when I had questions about my eligibility after a layoff. Spent hours on hold and kept getting disconnected. Finally found this service called Claimyr at claimyr.com that actually got me through to a real person. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Might be worth checking out if you need to talk to someone about your specific situation.
I had such a hard time getting through to NYS Department of Labor when I had questions about my claim status. The phone lines are always busy and the website chat never worked for me. I actually found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get connected to an actual agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Saved me hours of calling and getting disconnected.
The weekly claim questions are pretty straightforward - did you work, did you look for work, are you able and available to work, etc. Just answer truthfully. If you worked any hours that week you have to report it and they'll reduce your benefits accordingly but you might still get partial benefits depending on how much you earned.
Maggie Martinez
I filed in December and it wasn't as bad as I expected. Took about 3 weeks to get approved and start receiving payments. The worst part is really just the waiting and not knowing what's happening with your claim.
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Alejandro Castro
It really depends on your situation. If you were laid off through no fault of your own and your employer doesn't contest the claim, it should be relatively straightforward. Problems usually arise when there are questions about why you separated from employment or if there are wage discrepancies. Make sure you have all your employment documentation ready when you file.
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