Am I eligible for unemployment if I quit my job in NY?

You can potentially qualify for unemployment after quitting, but NYS Department of Labor has strict requirements for what they consider 'good cause.' Valid reasons include unsafe working conditions, harassment, significant changes to your job duties or pay, or employer violations of labor laws. You'll need documentation to support your claim during the adjudication process.

I quit my job last year due to a hostile work environment and was approved for benefits after providing HR emails, witness statements, and medical records showing stress-related issues. The key is proving you had no reasonable alternative but to quit. NYS Department of Labor will investigate thoroughly, so make sure you have a solid paper trail before you leave.

Be really careful here! I quit thinking I had good cause and got denied. NYS Department of Labor expects you to try to resolve issues with your employer first before quitting. Did you file complaints with HR or try to work things out? They ask about that stuff during the interview process.

If you're having trouble getting through to NYS Department of Labor to ask about your specific situation, I used 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 discuss my case details before filing.

whatever you do dont just quit without having everything lined up perfectly. the unemployment system is brutal and they look for any excuse to deny claims. save up some money first just in case

I'm in a similar boat - my boss has been making my life miserable but I'm scared to quit. Following this thread to see what others say about the process.

I went through this process about 8 months ago and got approved after quitting due to workplace discrimination. The key things that helped my case were: 1) I documented every incident with dates and details, 2) I filed a complaint with HR first and kept copies of all correspondence, 3) I consulted with an employment attorney who helped me understand what constituted "good cause" under NY law. The adjudication took about 5 weeks and they interviewed both me and my former employer. Having medical documentation of stress/anxiety from the situation also strengthened my case. Don't quit impulsively - build your case first and make sure you meet the legal threshold for voluntary separation with good cause.

I've been through this process twice - once denied, once approved - so I can share what made the difference. The key is understanding that NYS DOL uses a very specific legal standard for "good cause." You need to show that a reasonable person in your situation would have felt compelled to quit AND that you exhausted other reasonable alternatives first. Document everything NOW while you're still employed: save emails, write down incidents with dates/times/witnesses, and try to address issues through proper channels (HR, supervisor, etc.) first. Keep records of those attempts too. The approval process can take 6-8 weeks during which you won't receive benefits, so have savings ready. Also consider consulting with a free legal clinic before quitting - many offer employment law advice at no cost and can help you assess if your situation truly meets the legal threshold.

Based on my experience working with unemployment claims, I'd strongly recommend getting a consultation with an employment attorney BEFORE you quit, even if it costs a few hundred dollars. Many attorneys offer free or low-cost initial consultations, and some legal aid organizations provide employment law advice at no charge. The reason this is so important is that NYS DOL's definition of "good cause" is very narrow and technical - what feels like obvious grounds to quit might not meet their legal standard. I've seen too many people quit thinking they had a solid case only to get denied because they didn't properly document their attempts to resolve issues internally first. Also, start documenting everything immediately: save all emails, write detailed notes about incidents with dates/times/witnesses, and if possible, try to address your concerns through formal channels (written complaints to HR, etc.) while you're still employed. This creates the paper trail you'll need to prove you had no reasonable alternative but to quit.

I went through this exact situation last year and want to share some practical tips that really helped me navigate the process. First, start building your case NOW while still employed - don't wait until after you quit. I created a simple spreadsheet tracking every incident (date, time, what happened, witnesses present, how I addressed it). This became crucial evidence later. Second, make sure you attempt to resolve issues through official channels first - I sent formal emails to HR documenting my concerns and kept all their responses. Third, save up at least 2-3 months of expenses because even if approved, there's no income during the adjudication period. Finally, I found a free employment law clinic through the NYC Bar Association's Legal Referral Service that helped me understand whether my situation met the legal standard for "good cause" before I made any decisions. The whole process was stressful but having proper documentation made the difference between approval and denial. Feel free to ask if you want more details about any of these steps!

I'm currently dealing with a toxic workplace situation and this thread has been incredibly eye-opening about the complexities of quitting for unemployment benefits. From what everyone is sharing, it sounds like the documentation piece is absolutely critical - much more than I initially realized. I've been keeping some informal notes about issues at work, but after reading these responses I can see I need to be way more systematic about it. The advice about trying formal resolution channels first is particularly helpful since I've only had verbal conversations with my supervisor so far. I'm definitely going to look into those free legal consultation resources mentioned here before making any major decisions. Has anyone had experience with the process taking longer than the 6-8 weeks mentioned? I'm trying to plan financially and wondering if there are any factors that might extend the timeline even further.