Can I collect unemployment after paid family leave - NYS Department of Labor eligibility question

You can absolutely file for unemployment after your paid family leave ends. The NYS Department of Labor doesn't consider PFL as a break in your employment history for UI eligibility purposes. Since your employer eliminated your position, you should qualify for benefits. File your claim as soon as possible since benefits don't backdate to when you first became unemployed.

same thing happened to my sister last year, she filed right after her maternity leave ended and got approved within 2 weeks

I've been trying to reach someone at the NYS Department of Labor for weeks about a similar situation but their phone lines are always busy. It's incredibly frustrating when you need answers about your benefits and can't get through to anyone who can actually help.

Wait I'm confused - don't you have to be actively looking for work to get unemployment? How does that work if you just had a baby?

this whole system is so confusing why cant they just make it simple when people lose their jobs they need money its not that complicated

I went through this exact situation about 8 months ago. Filed for UI right after my PFL ended when my company did layoffs, and it was approved without any issues. The NYS DOL treats the end of your leave as your last day of work, so there's no gap in coverage. Just make sure you have all your paperwork from HR about the position elimination - that helps show it wasn't voluntary separation. Good luck with everything!

I'm in a similar boat - just finished my PFL last month and my company announced "restructuring" that eliminated several positions including mine. From what I've learned, you should definitely file immediately since there's no waiting period between PFL and UI. Make sure to get everything in writing from your employer about the position elimination - I had to request a formal letter stating my job was eliminated due to business reasons, not performance. Also, when you file online, there's a specific section where you can indicate you were on family leave, so be upfront about it. The process was actually smoother than I expected once I got all the documentation together. Hang in there!

I just want to add that you should also keep records of any communication with your employer about the position elimination, including emails or meeting notes. When I filed after my PFL ended due to a similar situation, having a paper trail really helped speed up the approval process. The NYS DOL may ask for additional documentation to verify that the job loss wasn't voluntary, so having everything organized beforehand saves time. Also, don't stress too much about the transition - the system is designed to handle these situations where people go from PFL directly to unemployment due to job elimination. You've earned those benefits through your work history, and this is exactly what the safety net is for.

I went through this exact transition two years ago and wanted to share my experience. After my PFL ended, my employer also eliminated my position due to "budget constraints." I was really worried about the transition but it turned out to be straightforward. File your UI claim immediately - there's no waiting period and your PFL doesn't count as a gap in employment. The most important thing is to be completely transparent on your application about the family leave and have documentation from your employer about the position elimination. I got my approval letter within about two weeks and benefits started shortly after. The work search requirements don't kick in immediately, so you have time to adjust. Don't let anyone make you feel bad about using these benefits - you paid into the system and this is exactly what it's designed for. Wishing you and your new baby all the best during this transition!

I'm going through something very similar right now - just finished my PFL last week and found out yesterday that my position is being "restructured away." It's such a stressful situation when you're already adjusting to life with a newborn! Reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly helpful and reassuring. I had no idea that the transition from PFL to UI was even possible, let alone fairly straightforward. I'm planning to file my claim today based on all the advice shared here - especially about being transparent about the leave and getting that formal documentation from my employer about the job elimination. It's comforting to know that so many others have successfully navigated this exact situation. Thank you all for sharing your experiences and creating such a supportive community for those of us dealing with these challenging transitions!