Can my employer deny unemployment benefits through NYS Department of Labor?
I got laid off from my warehouse job last week and my coworker said his previous employer somehow blocked his unemployment claim. Is this actually possible? Can employers just deny unemployment benefits when you file with NYS Department of Labor? I'm worried because my boss seemed pretty angry when they had to let me go due to budget cuts. I haven't filed yet because I'm scared they might retaliate somehow.
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AstroAce
Your employer cannot directly deny your unemployment benefits. What happens is NYS Department of Labor contacts your employer to verify the reason for separation. If your employer contests the claim by saying you were fired for misconduct or quit voluntarily, then your claim goes into adjudication. But being laid off due to budget cuts should qualify you for benefits. File immediately - delays can affect your benefit start date.
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Ethan Clark
•Thank you! That makes me feel better. So even if they contest it, I still have a chance if I was truly laid off?
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Yuki Kobayashi
yeah my employer tried to fight my claim too but i still got approved after like 6 weeks of waiting. the adjudication process is nerve wracking but if you were really laid off and didnt do anything wrong you should be fine
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Carmen Vega
File your claim right away on the NYS Department of Labor website. When you file, you'll need to provide details about why you were separated. Keep any documentation like layoff notices or emails about budget cuts. If your employer contests it, you'll get a chance to provide your side of the story during the adjudication process. The worst thing you can do is not file at all.
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Andre Rousseau
•What if I don't have any written documentation? It was just a verbal conversation with my supervisor about the layoffs.
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Carmen Vega
•Verbal notice is still valid. Write down everything you remember about the conversation - date, time, who was present, exactly what was said. NYS Department of Labor will investigate both sides of the story.
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Zoe Stavros
I had issues reaching NYS Department of Labor when my employer contested my claim and I needed to check the status. Regular phone lines were always busy. I found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get through to an actual agent. There's a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Made the whole process way less stressful when I could actually talk to someone about my adjudication.
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Yuki Kobayashi
•how much does something like that cost? sounds too good to be true
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Zoe Stavros
•It's worth checking out their site for current info. For me it was definitely worth it to avoid sitting on hold for hours just to get disconnected.
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Jamal Harris
The whole system is designed to make it hard for workers! Employers know they can slow down the process by contesting legitimate claims. Even if you eventually win, they've made you suffer for weeks without income. It's disgusting how they protect businesses over people who just lost their jobs.
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GalaxyGlider
•same thing happened to my friend, took 2 months to get approved
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