Am I entitled to unemployment benefits through NYS Department of Labor?
I just lost my job last week and I'm not really sure if I qualify for unemployment benefits or not. My boss said I was being let go due to 'restructuring' but I feel like they just didn't like me. I worked there for about 8 months full-time making $18/hour. I've never filed for unemployment before so I don't know what makes someone entitled to benefits or not. Do I automatically qualify since I was laid off? What if they try to say I was fired for cause? I'm really stressed about this whole situation and need to know if it's even worth applying through the NYS Department of Labor website.
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Diego Mendoza
You likely qualify for unemployment benefits! Since you were laid off due to restructuring, that's considered job separation through no fault of your own. The NYS Department of Labor looks at whether you lost your job due to lack of work, company downsizing, or similar reasons beyond your control. With 8 months of work history, you should meet the base period requirements. File your claim as soon as possible - you can do it online at labor.ny.gov and the process is pretty straightforward.
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Chloe Harris
•Thank you! That makes me feel better. Should I mention that I think they didn't like me or just stick to what they told me about restructuring?
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Anastasia Popova
stick to the facts they gave you - restructuring is a legitimate reason for layoffs and the Department of Labor will verify this with your employer anyway
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Sean Flanagan
I had trouble getting through to NYS Department of Labor by phone when I had questions about my eligibility. Ended up using this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an actual agent who walked me through everything. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Really helped me understand my situation better than trying to figure it out from the website alone.
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Chloe Harris
•Is that legit? I'm worried about giving my info to random services.
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Sean Flanagan
•It just connects your call, you still talk directly to NYS Department of Labor agents. I was skeptical too but it worked perfectly for me.
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Zara Shah
DEFINITELY apply! The worst they can do is deny you but if you were laid off due to restructuring that's textbook unemployment qualification. I've been through this system multiple times and trust me, if there's any doubt about your separation reason, they'll investigate it during adjudication. Better to apply and let them make the determination than assume you don't qualify.
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NebulaNomad
Wait I'm confused... I thought you had to work for like a year to get unemployment? 8 months seems short
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Diego Mendoza
•No, the requirement is earning enough wages during your base period, not a specific time length. 8 months of full-time work at $18/hour should easily meet the wage requirements for NYS.
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Luca Ferrari
good luck with this whole mess, the unemployment system is so confusing for first-timers
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