Can someone collect unemployment if they quit their job in NY?
My roommate just quit her job at a retail store because her manager was creating a hostile work environment and cutting her hours down to almost nothing. She's wondering if she can still file for unemployment benefits with NYS Department of Labor or if quitting automatically disqualifies you? I know there are different rules but I'm not sure what applies here. She's worried about being able to pay rent next month.
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Miguel Castro
Yes, you can potentially collect unemployment after quitting, but it depends on the reason. NYS Department of Labor recognizes 'good cause' reasons for quitting that won't disqualify you from benefits. Hostile work environment and significant reduction in hours can both qualify as good cause if she can document them properly.
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Ava Williams
•What kind of documentation would she need? She has some text messages from coworkers about the manager's behavior but nothing official.
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Zainab Ibrahim
She needs to apply immediately and be prepared to explain her reasons for quitting during the adjudication process. The NYS Department of Labor will investigate her claim and likely contact her former employer. If they determine she had good cause, she'll be eligible for benefits. The key is being honest and providing as much documentation as possible.
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Connor O'Neill
•This is so important! I made the mistake of not documenting everything when I quit my toxic job and it made the appeal process much harder.
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LunarEclipse
Wait, I thought if you quit you were automatically disqualified?? This is confusing because my cousin quit last year and they denied her claim.
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Miguel Castro
•Not automatically, but the burden of proof is on the claimant to show they had good cause. Many people don't know this and either don't apply or don't properly document their reasons.
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Yara Khalil
I had a similar situation trying to reach NYS Department of Labor about my adjudication status after quitting. Couldn't get through on the phone for weeks. Finally used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an actual agent who explained the whole process. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Really helped me understand what documentation I needed.
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Ava Williams
•How much does something like that cost? She's already stressed about money.
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Yara Khalil
•It was worth it for me to get real answers instead of guessing. Better than sitting in limbo not knowing if my claim would be approved.
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Keisha Brown
The NYS Department of Labor system is SO broken when it comes to this stuff. They make you jump through hoops to prove you had good cause but employers can fire you for basically anything and you get benefits right away. Makes no sense.
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