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same boat here, mine's been pending since early January and I'm getting really anxious about rent money
The key thing to remember is that retail workers laid off for store closures have strong unemployment cases. Higher area unemployment rates might actually work in your favor since it demonstrates economic necessity rather than individual performance issues. Document everything and be persistent with follow-up.
If you're having trouble getting through to NYS Department of Labor to ask about this directly, I had success using 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. Really helped when I needed to clarify my eligibility status and couldn't get through the regular phone lines.
Just make sure you understand the 'able and available' requirement for unemployment. If workers comp has you listed as unable to work, that could disqualify you from UI benefits. But if you're cleared for modified duties and your employer can't accommodate that, you should be fine. Document everything from your doctor and employer about your work restrictions and their inability to provide suitable work.
Other things that can disqualify you: not registering for work search within required timeframe, turning down job offers that match your skills/pay level, not doing the required number of job searches per week, or having earnings that are too high while collecting. The job search requirements are pretty strict now - you need to do at least 3 searches per week and keep detailed records.
I had such a hard time getting through to NYS Department of Labor to even ask these basic questions. Kept getting busy signals for weeks. Finally used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get connected to an actual agent who walked me through the whole qualification process. There's even a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Made the whole thing so much less stressful.
Lucas Notre-Dame
dont forget the dust bowl too! that made everything worse especially for farmers. whole families had to migrate looking for work but there wasnt any. at least now if you lose your job you can file for UI benefits and do your job search requirements while you look for something new
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Aria Park
The unemployment insurance system was revolutionary when it started. Before 1935, if you lost your job, that was it - no weekly payments, no job search assistance, nothing. The Great Depression showed how quickly economic disaster could spread, so they created these state-administered programs funded by employer taxes. That's basically still how NYS Department of Labor unemployment works today, just with modern technology and updated eligibility requirements.
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Aiden Rodríguez
•That's fascinating about the employer taxes funding it. I never really thought about where the money for unemployment benefits actually comes from. Makes the whole system make more sense.
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