


Ask the community...
wait what's the difference between an appeal and adjudication?? I thought adjudication was the appeal process
You can definitely represent yourself but make sure you understand what specific reason they gave for denying your claim. The appeal has to address that exact issue - like if they said you were fired for misconduct, you need to prove it wasn't misconduct or wasn't serious enough to disqualify you from benefits.
I had such a nightmare trying to get through to NYS Department of Labor to ask similar questions about my claim. Spent hours on hold just to get disconnected. Finally found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that actually got me connected to a real person at NYS Department of Labor within like 20 minutes. They have a video demo showing how it works: https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI. Totally worth it when you need actual answers instead of guessing about stuff like unemployment rates affecting benefits.
The unemployment rate when any president leaves office doesn't matter for your personal UI benefits lol. But yeah it was around 3.8% nationally when Biden left in January. In NY specifically it was probably similar. Your $420/week sounds about right depending on what you were making before. Just keep doing your weekly certifications and job searches.
Don't let the system intimidate you! I was terrified when I first filed but it's actually pretty straightforward once you get the hang of it. The unemployment claim process has these main steps: 1) File your initial claim with work history and reason for separation 2) Wait for determination letter 3) File weekly claims every week 4) Complete job search activities 5) Get paid if everything's approved. The NYS Department of Labor has improved their online system a lot since COVID so it's much more user-friendly now.
To add to what others said - your unemployment claim also determines your weekly benefit amount based on your past earnings. The NYS Department of Labor looks at your wages from the last 18 months and calculates roughly half your average weekly wage, up to the maximum benefit amount. Right now in 2025 the max is around $530 per week. You can collect for up to 26 weeks typically, though this can vary based on economic conditions.
The whole system is a mess honestly. They say 2-3 weeks but I've seen people wait months because of stupid technicalities. Make sure you have all your documentation ready and pray nothing gets flagged for review.
NeonNebula
this is why the whole system is messed up - people pay into unemployment insurance but can't collect when they need it. but yeah legally speaking they can't get benefits without proper work authorization. the restaurant industry especially has this problem where workers contribute to systems they can't access
0 coins
Anastasia Kozlov
Just want to add that if your friend needs help navigating this situation or understanding their options, they might want to contact a workers' rights organization. Some provide confidential assistance and know about alternative resources that don't require the same documentation as government benefits.
0 coins