Can paraprofessionals get NYS Department of Labor unemployment benefits during summer break?
I work as a paraprofessional in a school district and my contract ends in June. I'm wondering if I can file for unemployment benefits through NYS Department of Labor for the summer months when school is out? I've heard conflicting information about whether school employees are eligible during breaks. Has anyone been through this process before? I really need to know if I should start my claim application now or wait.
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Isabella Oliveira
Yes, paraprofessionals can typically qualify for unemployment during summer break! The key is whether you have reasonable assurance of returning to work in the fall. If your district hasn't given you a contract for next year yet, you should definitely file with NYS Department of Labor. Make sure you have your employment termination paperwork ready when you apply.
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Malik Jackson
•Thank you! I don't have my contract for next year yet so I think I qualify. Do I need to wait until my last day of work to file or can I do it earlier?
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Ravi Patel
wait i thought school employees couldn't get unemployment?? my friend who teaches said she couldn't file during summer
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Freya Andersen
•Teachers and paraprofessionals have different rules. Teachers usually can't get summer benefits if they have reasonable assurance of returning, but paraprofessionals often don't get that same guarantee. It depends on your specific employment situation and contract terms.
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Omar Zaki
I've been trying to get through to NYS Department of Labor for weeks about this exact question and their phone lines are always busy! It's so frustrating when you need answers about your claim eligibility. Has anyone found a way to actually talk to someone there?
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CosmicCrusader
•I had the same problem calling NYS Department of Labor until someone told me about Claimyr. It's a service that helps you get through to unemployment agents. Check out claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. I finally got my questions answered about my paraprofessional status after using them.
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Omar Zaki
•That sounds almost too good to be true but I'm desperate at this point. Did it actually work for you?
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Chloe Robinson
Just to add - when you file make sure you answer the questions about school employment honestly. NYS Department of Labor will verify with your district anyway so don't try to hide that you're a school employee. The determination will depend on whether you have reasonable assurance of work for the next school year.
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Diego Flores
Same boat here! Filed last week and still waiting to hear back from them. The uncertainty is killing me because I need to know if I should look for summer work or wait for unemployment to kick in.
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