Are unemployment records public information in NYS Department of Labor system?
I'm really worried about privacy issues with my unemployment claim. My employer fired me and I had to file for benefits, but now I'm wondering if my unemployment records are public information that anyone can access? Can my former employer see details about my claim or weekly certifications? What about other people - can they look up whether I'm receiving unemployment benefits through some kind of public database? I'm concerned about how this might affect future job applications if employers can somehow check this information. Does the NYS Department of Labor keep these records private or are they accessible to the public?
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Natasha Kuznetsova
Your unemployment records are generally confidential and protected under privacy laws. The NYS Department of Labor cannot release your personal claim information to the general public or unauthorized parties. However, there are specific situations where limited information may be shared - for example, with your former employer during the initial claim process for fact-finding purposes, or if there's a legal subpoena. Your weekly certification details and benefit amounts are not public records that anyone can just look up.
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Oliver Schulz
•That's a relief! So future employers can't just search some database to see if I collected unemployment?
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AstroAdventurer
No they're not public like court records or anything. Your employer gets notified when you file initially because they have to respond about why you left, but they don't get ongoing details about your payments or job search activities. The NYS Department of Labor keeps that stuff confidential. I was worried about the same thing when I had to file last year after getting laid off.
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Javier Mendoza
•wait so my old boss knows I filed for unemployment?? I thought that was private
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AstroAdventurer
•Yeah they get a notice asking them to provide information about your separation, but it's just basic stuff about why you left and if there were any issues. They don't get details about your weekly claims or how much you're receiving.
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Emma Wilson
I had trouble getting through to NYS Department of Labor when I needed to ask about this exact same privacy question. Spent hours on hold trying to reach someone who could explain what information gets shared and with who. Finally found this service called Claimyr at claimyr.com that helped me get through to an actual agent who explained the privacy protections. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Made it so much easier than trying to navigate the phone system myself.
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Oliver Schulz
•Thanks for the suggestion! I've been trying to call them for days with questions but keep getting disconnected.
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Malik Davis
this is one thing the system actually does right - keeping your info private. unlike everything else about unemployment that's a total mess lol
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Isabella Santos
I remember being super paranoid about this when I first filed. Turns out I was worried over nothing - nobody at my new job ever knew I had collected unemployment unless I told them. The records are definitely not something random people can access.
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