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THE SYSTEM IS BROKEN!!! I've been waiting 3 WEEKS for mine to be approved and every time I call I get hung up on. They owe me over $1200 in back payments and I'm about to lose my apartment. This is ridiculous that they can just hold our money hostage like this.
The unemployment system wasn't designed for the modern economy. Most of the rules and procedures were created decades ago when job markets were more stable and predictable. Now you have gig workers, remote positions, seasonal employment, and industry shifts that don't fit into the old categories. The NYS Department of Labor infrastructure can't handle the volume or complexity of today's workforce situations.
The unemployment system is such BS. They make it so complicated to figure out if you qualify and then take forever to make decisions. Even if you have good reasons they'll probably find some way to deny you initially just to save money.
Been there! Applied for EBT when I was on unemployment in 2023. Got approved for about $400/month for me and my daughter. The unemployment definitely counted as income but it wasn't enough to disqualify us. The application asks for all your income sources including unemployment benefits.
Jacob Lewis
honestly the whole system is such a mess, half the time the local offices don't even know what the online system is doing anyway
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Amelia Martinez
You can also try looking up 'NYS Department of Labor career centers' on Google Maps and it should show you the ones closest to your location with hours and contact info. That's how I found mine when I had to go in for an appeal hearing last year.
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