Can federal employees collect unemployment benefits through NYS Department of Labor?
I've been working as a federal employee at the IRS office in Brooklyn for the past 6 years, but just got notice that my position is being eliminated due to budget cuts. My last day is next month. I'm trying to figure out if I can file for unemployment benefits through NYS Department of Labor since I live and work in New York. Some people at work are saying federal employees can't get regular state unemployment, but I've heard conflicting information. Does anyone know for sure? I really need to understand what my options are before my last paycheck.
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Ethan Taylor
Yes, federal employees can absolutely file for unemployment benefits! You'll file through NYS Department of Labor just like any other worker in New York. Federal employees are covered under a program called Unemployment Compensation for Federal Employees (UCFE). The process is basically the same - you file your initial claim on the NYS Department of Labor website, but they coordinate with federal agencies for wage verification. Make sure you have your SF-8 form and federal employment records ready when you file.
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Aisha Khan
•Thank you! That's such a relief. Do you know if the benefit amount is calculated the same way as regular unemployment? I'm worried it might be different since it's federal employment.
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Yuki Ito
my cousin works for customs and had to file unemployment when they had those furloughs a few years back. she got benefits through NYS Department of Labor no problem. just took a bit longer to process because they had to verify stuff with her federal agency
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Carmen Lopez
The benefit calculation works exactly the same - they use your federal wages from the past 18 months to determine your weekly benefit amount. One thing to watch out for though is that you need to make sure NYS Department of Labor has accurate wage information. Sometimes there can be delays if the federal agency doesn't respond quickly to wage verification requests. I'd suggest filing as soon as possible after your last day to get the process started.
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Andre Dupont
•This is really good to know. I had no idea federal employees could get state unemployment benefits. I always thought we were just out of luck if we lost our jobs.
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QuantumQuasar
I went through this exact situation last year when my position at the VA was eliminated. Filed through NYS Department of Labor and everything went smoothly. One tip - if you're having trouble getting through to NYS Department of Labor by phone to check on your claim status, I found this service called Claimyr that helps you actually reach a live agent. Check out claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Saved me hours of trying to call myself.
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Aisha Khan
•Interesting, I've never heard of that service. Did it actually work for you? I'm always skeptical of third-party services for government stuff.
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QuantumQuasar
•Yeah it definitely worked. I was stuck in adjudication for weeks and couldn't get anyone on the phone. Used their service and got connected to an NYS Department of Labor agent the same day who cleared up the issue.
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Zoe Papanikolaou
Wait, I'm confused. Are you talking about regular unemployment or some special federal program? I thought federal employees had their own separate system and couldn't use state unemployment at all. This is the first I'm hearing about being able to file through NYS Department of Labor.
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Ethan Taylor
•It's regular state unemployment benefits, but for federal employees it's administered under the UCFE program. The state handles the claims processing and payments, but the federal government reimburses the state for the costs. So you file with NYS Department of Labor just like anyone else.
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Jamal Wilson
Good luck with everything! Losing a federal job is really stressful. At least you know you have unemployment benefits to fall back on while you look for something new.
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Drew Hathaway
Just wanted to add that when you file your claim, make sure you have your most recent SF-50 (Personnel Action form) handy - NYS Department of Labor will likely ask for it during the application process. Also, if you're planning to apply for other federal positions, you can still collect unemployment benefits while job searching, just make sure to report any interview travel reimbursements or temporary work. The waiting period is the same as regular unemployment (one week), so don't panic if you don't see payments right away. Hope this helps and sorry to hear about your position being eliminated!
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Laura Lopez
•This is really helpful information about the SF-50 form - I hadn't thought about needing that document ready. Quick question though - do you know if there are any restrictions on the types of federal positions that qualify for UCFE? I'm wondering if certain classifications or pay grades might be excluded from unemployment benefits.
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