Can you collect unemployment if you resign from your job in New York?
I've been working at this retail job for about 8 months and honestly the management is terrible. They keep changing my schedule last minute, making me work doubles without notice, and the store manager has been really hostile lately. I'm thinking about quitting but I'm worried about money. Can you collect unemployment if you resign in NY? I heard somewhere that you can't get benefits if you quit voluntarily but maybe there are exceptions? Really need some guidance here because I can't take much more of this place but also can't afford to be without income.
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Giovanni Mancini
Generally, if you voluntarily quit your job in New York, you won't be eligible for unemployment benefits UNLESS you quit for 'good cause.' The NYS Department of Labor defines good cause as situations where a reasonable person would have felt compelled to leave. This includes things like unsafe working conditions, harassment, significant changes to your job that weren't agreed upon, or employer violations of labor laws. You'd need to document everything and be prepared to prove your case during the claims process.
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Amara Nnamani
•What kind of documentation would I need? I don't have anything in writing about the schedule changes, it's all been verbal.
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Giovanni Mancini
•Start documenting everything NOW. Keep a log of schedule changes, take screenshots of any texts or emails, and if possible get witness statements from coworkers. The more evidence you have, the better your chances if you need to appeal a denial.
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Fatima Al-Suwaidi
i quit my last job because my boss was making inappropriate comments and i still got unemployment. you just have to file and explain why you quit when they ask. sometimes they approve it right away, sometimes you have to go through adjudication but don't let that scare you
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Amara Nnamani
•How long did the adjudication process take for you? I'm worried about how long I might be without any income.
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Dylan Cooper
Before you quit, I'd suggest trying to get your employer to document some of these issues. File complaints about the schedule changes in writing via email so you have a paper trail. Also check if your workplace has an HR department - sometimes filing a complaint there first can strengthen your case if you do end up quitting and filing for unemployment.
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Sofia Morales
Honestly, getting through to NYS Department of Labor to even file a claim can be a nightmare, let alone dealing with an adjudication for a voluntary quit situation. I spent weeks trying to get someone on the phone when I had issues with my claim. If you do decide to quit and file, you might want to check out claimyr.com - they help you get through to actual NYS Department of Labor agents when you can't reach them yourself. There's a demo video at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Could save you a lot of frustration if your case gets complicated.
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StarSailor
•Never heard of that service before, does it actually work?
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Sofia Morales
•Yeah it worked for me when I was stuck in adjudication hell for 3 weeks. Way better than sitting on hold for hours just to get disconnected.
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Dmitry Ivanov
THE UNEMPLOYMENT SYSTEM IS RIGGED AGAINST WORKERS!! They make it nearly impossible to get benefits even when you have legitimate reasons for quitting. I had to fight for MONTHS to get my benefits approved after quitting due to harassment. The NYS Department of Labor acts like every claimant is trying to scam the system. Document EVERYTHING and be prepared for a battle.
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Ava Garcia
•This is so true unfortunately. The whole system seems designed to deny claims first and ask questions later.
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StarSailor
Just wanted to add that if you do quit for good cause and file for unemployment, you'll still need to do your weekly job searches and meet all the other requirements. The good cause exception just gets you past the voluntary quit disqualification, but then you have to follow all the normal UI rules.
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Diego Vargas
One thing to keep in mind is that even if you establish "good cause" for quitting, you might still face a waiting period before benefits kick in. Also, make sure you understand the difference between being fired "for cause" (which can disqualify you) versus quitting "for good cause" (which can qualify you). The language matters a lot in these cases. If your employer tries to contest your claim by saying you were fired for performance issues instead of quitting due to their poor management, it could complicate things. Consider speaking with a lawyer who specializes in employment law if the situation gets really complex - many offer free consultations for unemployment cases.
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