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Also remember you have to file your weekly claims every week and do job searches! NYS Department of Labor requires 3 job search activities per week. Keep detailed records because they do audits sometimes.
Speaking of getting help with claims - I was stuck trying to reach someone at NYS Department of Labor for weeks about my adjudication status. Finally used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that gets you through to an actual agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Saved me so much frustration compared to calling and getting busy signals all day.
yeah you can definitely apply with reduced hours. i did it when my restaurant cut everyone's shifts during slow season. just be honest about your current work situation when you file
One important thing - you'll need to report your weekly earnings when you file your weekly claims. NYS Department of Labor will calculate your partial benefit amount based on what you earn each week. Don't worry if it seems complicated at first, the system will guide you through it.
The system is so confusing! I went through something similar last year when I had surgery. Turns out I qualified for short-term disability through my job but it took forever to figure out. Don't waste time applying for unemployment if you can't work - they'll just deny you and you'll have to go through the appeal process which is a nightmare.
Just want to add that even if your injury heals and you become able to work again, you could potentially file for unemployment at that point if you're having trouble finding a new job. But right now while you're medically unable to work, disability benefits are your best bet. Hope your back heals up soon!
Liv Park
I've been trying to get through to NYS Department of Labor for weeks about a similar eligibility question and their phone lines are impossible. If your cousin needs to talk to someone directly about her specific situation, I recently used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that actually got me connected to an agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Saved me hours of calling and getting disconnected.
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Leeann Blackstein
•How much does something like that cost? Seems like you shouldn't have to pay extra just to talk to the people at NYS Department of Labor
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Liv Park
•I thought the same thing initially but honestly it was worth it for me. The regular way of calling wasn't working and I needed answers about my claim status. Much easier than spending entire days redialing busy signals.
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Ryder Greene
Just wanted to add that even if someone isn't eligible for regular unemployment, there might be other programs available. NYS Department of Labor has different types of assistance and the eligibility rules can vary. Also worth checking if any of the freelance clients incorrectly classified her as 1099 when she should have been W-2 - that happens more than people think and can affect benefit eligibility.
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LongPeri
•Interesting point about misclassification. How would she know if she was classified wrong? Some of her contracts did seem pretty much like regular employment.
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