Can you get unemployment for poor performance issues in New York?

Generally yes, you can receive unemployment benefits if terminated for poor performance in NY. The key distinction is between misconduct and inability to perform. Poor performance due to lack of skill or inability to meet job requirements usually qualifies you for benefits. However, if they claim willful misconduct or deliberate violations of company policy, that could disqualify you.

I got fired for poor performance at my warehouse job last year and had no issues getting approved for UI benefits. NYS Department of Labor approved my claim within 2 weeks. The employer tried to contest it saying I was insubordinate but I appealed and won because I had documentation showing it was performance related, not behavioral.

same thing happened to me couple months ago, got fired for not meeting productivity standards at my factory job and unemployment went through fine

If you're having trouble reaching NYS Department of Labor to check on your claim status or get questions answered about eligibility, I had good luck using claimyr.com recently. They help you get through to an actual agent instead of dealing with the busy phone lines. There's a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Really helped me when I was stressed about my claim getting stuck in adjudication.

Whatever you do DON'T quit thinking it'll look better. If you quit you definitely won't get benefits. Let them fire you if they're going to, then file immediately. Document everything - save emails, write down conversations with dates.

The unemployment system is so messed up though. I know people who got denied for way less serious stuff while others sailed through. It's like a lottery sometimes with these adjudicators.

I went through a similar situation about 6 months ago. Got let go from my first job out of college for not meeting performance metrics at a marketing firm. I was really worried about getting benefits too, but it worked out fine. The NYS DOL approved my claim without any issues. Like others said, the key is that poor performance isn't the same as misconduct. Just make sure when you file that you're honest about the reason for termination - don't try to make it sound like something it wasn't. Also start documenting everything now while you're still employed, including any performance reviews or conversations about your metrics. Having that paper trail really helps if the employer tries to contest your claim later.

I'm going through something similar right now - just got put on a performance improvement plan at my customer service job and feeling really anxious about what comes next. Reading all these responses is actually making me feel a lot better about the situation. It sounds like as long as you're genuinely trying to do the job but just struggling with the metrics, you should be okay for unemployment benefits. I've been keeping copies of all my performance reviews and any feedback emails from my supervisor just in case. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - it really helps to know other people have been through this and came out alright on the other side.

I went through something very similar about a year ago - got terminated from my first job out of college at a call center for not meeting call resolution times and customer satisfaction scores. I was honestly terrified about filing for unemployment because I thought getting fired for poor performance would automatically disqualify me. But I filed anyway because I needed the benefits, and it got approved without any issues. The NYS DOL didn't even request additional information from me or my former employer. What really helped was that I had been genuinely trying to improve - I had attended all the training sessions they offered and was working with my supervisor on improvement plans. I think that showed it wasn't willful misconduct on my part, just that the job wasn't a good fit for my skills. My advice is to file as soon as you're terminated (if that happens) and don't stress too much about it. The system is designed to help people who lose their jobs through no fault of their own, and struggling to meet performance standards usually falls into that category.

I'm actually going through this exact situation right now - been at my retail job for about 6 months and just got my second warning about not hitting my sales numbers. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly helpful and honestly a huge relief. I was convinced that getting fired for performance issues would automatically disqualify me from benefits, but it sounds like that's not the case at all. The distinction between poor performance and willful misconduct makes total sense when you think about it - there's a big difference between genuinely struggling to meet expectations versus deliberately not doing your job. I've been keeping detailed notes of all my interactions with management and saving copies of my performance reviews just in case. It's scary being in this position, especially as someone relatively new to the workforce, but knowing that there's still a safety net available if things don't work out is giving me some peace of mind. Thanks to everyone who shared their stories - it really helps to know we're not alone in dealing with these kinds of challenges.

I'm in a really similar situation right now - been at my office job for about 7 months and just got put on a 30-day improvement plan because my productivity metrics aren't where they want them to be. This whole thread has been such a lifesaver! I had no idea that poor performance was treated differently than misconduct for unemployment purposes. I've been genuinely trying my best but the workload expectations seem unrealistic for someone still learning the ropes. Reading everyone's experiences gives me hope that if this doesn't work out, I won't be left completely high and dry. I'm definitely going to start keeping better documentation of everything - performance reviews, improvement plan details, any training I've completed. It's reassuring to know that the NYS DOL generally understands the difference between someone who's struggling to meet standards versus someone who's being deliberately negligent. Thanks to everyone for sharing their stories - it really helps to know there's a community of people who understand what this feels like.

I've been following this conversation as someone who was in a very similar position about 8 months ago. Got terminated from my first job out of college at a tech startup for not meeting coding productivity benchmarks, despite putting in extra hours and asking for help from senior developers. I was absolutely panicked about filing for unemployment because I thought performance issues would disqualify me. But I filed anyway out of necessity and got approved without any problems - didn't even have to appeal or provide additional documentation. The NYS DOL processed my claim in about 10 days. What really helped my case was that I had email chains showing I was actively seeking feedback and trying to improve, plus documentation of the training sessions I attended. The key thing I learned is that the system really does distinguish between inability to perform and willful misconduct. If you're genuinely trying but struggling with the job requirements, that's not your fault - it's just a mismatch between your current skills and what the position demands. To anyone in this situation: keep detailed records, be honest when you file, and don't let the stress consume you. Most performance-related terminations do qualify for benefits in NY.

I'm currently dealing with this exact situation at my restaurant job - been there for about 5 months and just got my first formal warning for low table turnover rates and customer satisfaction scores. This entire thread has been incredibly eye-opening and honestly such a relief to read! I had been assuming that any performance-related termination would automatically disqualify me from unemployment benefits, but learning about the distinction between poor performance and willful misconduct changes everything. I've been genuinely trying to improve - staying late to practice my service techniques, asking experienced servers for tips, even watching training videos on my own time - but the pace and multitasking required is just overwhelming for me. Reading all these success stories from people who got their claims approved after similar situations gives me so much hope. I'm definitely going to start documenting everything better - saving copies of my performance reviews, keeping notes from manager feedback sessions, and tracking all the extra training I'm doing. It's such a comfort to know there's a support system in place for people who are struggling with job performance despite their best efforts. Thanks to everyone for being so open about their experiences - it really helps to know we're all in this together!