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I had trouble getting through to NYS Department of Labor to ask about my benefit calculation and someone recommended checking out claimyr.com - they help you actually reach an agent by phone. There's a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. I was able to get my questions answered about the funding and how my benefit amount was calculated.
One thing that tripped me up was the weekly benefit amount calculation. The system does this automatically based on your earnings history, but it helps to understand how they calculate it. They look at your highest quarter of earnings in your base period and divide by 26. Don't worry if the amount seems low at first - you can always appeal if you think there's an error in your wage records.
Make sure he meets all the job search requirements too! Even though he's on disability, if he's collecting unemployment he still needs to be actively looking for work and documenting it. The NYS Department of Labor doesn't care about your other benefits when it comes to the work search requirement.
Good point! Since he can only work part-time due to his disability, can he limit his job search to part-time positions only?
This whole system is so confusing. Why can't they just have clear answers on their website about these common situations? I swear the NYS Department of Labor makes everything more complicated than it needs to be.
what everyone's saying is right but honestly the thing most associated with unemployment in my experience is just WAITING. waiting for your claim to get processed, waiting during adjudication if they need to verify something, waiting for your weekly payments to hit your account. the system is slow and theres not much you can do about it except be patient
The waiting is definitely the worst part! But to answer your original question, the three main things associated with unemployment eligibility are: 1) involuntary job loss or quitting with good cause, 2) meeting the wage/work history requirements in your base period, and 3) being able and available to work. If you meet all three, you should be approved assuming you file correctly.
Liam Murphy
The NYS Department of Labor phone system is impossible to get through to ask these questions directly. I spent weeks trying to reach someone about my specific situation. Finally used this service called claimyr.com that actually got me connected to an agent who could explain my eligibility. There's a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Was way easier than trying to navigate the phone maze myself.
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Amara Okafor
•Did that actually work? I've been calling for days with no luck. Getting so frustrated with the busy signals and disconnections.
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Liam Murphy
•Yeah it worked great for me. They handle the calling and waiting, then connect you when an agent is available. Saved me so much time and stress.
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CaptainAwesome
Just to add - even medical reasons can qualify in some cases. If you had to quit due to illness or caring for a family member, there are provisions for that too. The key is documenting everything properly when you file with NYS Department of Labor.
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