Am I eligible for unemployment if I quit my job in NY?
I've been thinking about leaving my current position because of some major issues at work, but I'm worried about whether I'd qualify for unemployment benefits if I quit. Does anyone know what the NYS Department of Labor considers valid reasons for quitting? I don't want to make a mistake and end up without any income support while I look for something new. The job situation has gotten pretty bad but I'm not sure if my reasons would count as 'good cause' or whatever they call it.
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Gianni Serpent
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.
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Ryder Ross
•What kind of documentation would I need? I have some emails about the issues but not sure if that's enough.
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Henry Delgado
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.
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Olivia Kay
•How long did the adjudication take for your case? I'm dealing with something similar.
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Henry Delgado
•About 6 weeks total. They interviewed me, my former employer, and some coworkers. It was stressful but worth it since I was approved.
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Joshua Hellan
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.
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Ryder Ross
•I did bring up some concerns but nothing formal. Maybe I should document that better before making any decisions.
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Jibriel Kohn
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.
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Edison Estevez
•Never heard of that but anything that helps with those impossible phone lines sounds good to me!
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Emily Nguyen-Smith
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
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Olivia Kay
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.
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Gianni Serpent
•Document everything now while you're still employed. Date, time, witnesses for any incidents. The more evidence you have, the better your chances if you do decide to file for benefits.
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Lucas Kowalski
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.
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Isaiah Sanders
•This is really helpful advice! I'm curious about the employment attorney consultation - was that expensive? I'm already stressed about finances and wondering if it's worth the cost before I even know if I'll qualify for benefits. Also, did you have to wait the full 5 weeks without any income or were you able to get temporary payments while they investigated?
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Harmony Love
•@Lucas Kowalski This is exactly the kind of detailed info I was hoping to find! Quick question - when you say you consulted with an employment attorney, did they help you actually file the claim or just advise you on whether you had a good case? I m'wondering if having legal representation during the adjudication process makes a difference in the outcome.
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Kai Santiago
•@Lucas Kowalski Thank you for sharing such detailed information! I m'particularly interested in the timeline aspect - did you apply for benefits immediately after quitting or did you wait to gather more documentation first? Also, during those 5 weeks of adjudication, were you completely without income or is there any way to get partial payments while they review the case? I m'trying to plan financially in case I decide to move forward with this.
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