Can I collect unemployment if I have 2 jobs and get fired from one?
So I've been working two part-time jobs for the past 8 months - one at a retail store (about 25 hours/week) and another doing data entry (15 hours/week). Last week I got terminated from the retail job for supposedly being late too many times (which I disagree with but whatever). I still have my data entry job though. Can I file for unemployment benefits with NYS Department of Labor for the lost wages from the retail position? I'm really confused about how this works when you still have some income coming in. Has anyone been in this situation before?
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Emma Swift
Yes, you can potentially file for partial unemployment benefits in New York. The NYS Department of Labor allows claims when you lose one job but keep another, as long as your remaining wages are below a certain threshold. You'll need to report your continuing wages from the data entry job on your weekly claims. The benefit amount gets reduced based on what you're still earning, but you might still qualify for some assistance.
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Max Knight
AuthorThat's a relief to hear! Do you know what the wage threshold is? I'm making about $240/week from my remaining job.
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Isabella Tucker
i had this exact thing happen to me last year!! lost my weekend job but kept my weekday one. took forever to get through to NYS Department of Labor on the phone to ask about it but they said i could file
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Jayden Hill
How long did it take for your claim to get processed? I'm worried about the adjudication process taking forever since this seems like a complicated situation.
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LordCommander
The key thing is making sure you report the termination correctly when you file. Since you were fired, NYS Department of Labor will need to determine if it was for misconduct or not. Being late can sometimes be considered misconduct depending on the circumstances and your employer's policies. Make sure you have documentation about your attendance if you plan to dispute their reasoning.
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Max Knight
AuthorI do have some text messages where my manager was inconsistent about the schedule changes. Should I gather all of that before filing?
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Lucy Lam
ugh the NYS Department of Labor phone system is IMPOSSIBLE to get through. I've been trying for weeks to ask about my partial claim and just get disconnected every time. The website doesn't give clear answers about these dual job situations either
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Aidan Hudson
I had the same problem until someone told me about Claimyr. It's a service that helps you get through to NYS Department of Labor agents when you can't reach them yourself. Check out claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. I finally got answers about my adjudication issue after weeks of trying on my own.
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Lucy Lam
Really? That sounds too good to be true but at this point I'm desperate. Did it actually work for you?
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Evelyn Martinez
@Aidan Hudson Yes, Claimyr actually worked for me! I was skeptical too but after being on hold for literally hours every day for two weeks, I decided to try it. They got me connected to a real person at NYS Department of Labor within like 30 minutes. Cost me $20 but honestly worth every penny to finally get my partial unemployment questions answered. The agent was able to walk me through exactly how to report my remaining job income properly.
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Zoe Wang
Just want to add that you'll still need to do job search activities even with partial unemployment. The requirements are the same whether you're getting full or partial benefits. Keep track of your job contacts because NYS Department of Labor can ask for your job search log at any time.
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Isabella Tucker
oh yeah forgot about that part! you still gotta look for work even though you have the other job. kinda weird but thats the rule
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