Can you get unemployment if you're laid off from your job in NY?
Just got laid off yesterday from my warehouse job due to company downsizing. Never filed for unemployment before and honestly don't know where to start. Do I qualify if I was laid off? My supervisor said it wasn't performance related, just budget cuts. How quickly should I apply? Really stressed about making rent next month.
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Ava Kim
Yes, being laid off definitely qualifies you for unemployment benefits in NY. Since it's not your fault (involuntary separation), you should be eligible. You need to file your claim on the NYS Department of Labor website within the first week after losing your job. The longer you wait, the longer it takes to get your first payment.
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Emma Garcia
•Thank you! Do I need any specific documents from my employer or can I just file online with basic info?
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Ethan Anderson
File ASAP on my.ny.gov - don't wait! You'll need your social security number, employer contact info, and dates of employment. Since you were laid off (not fired for misconduct), this should be straightforward. Make sure you have your last pay stub handy when filing.
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Layla Mendes
•This is exactly right. I was laid off in November and had no issues getting approved since it was clearly company downsizing, not my performance.
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Lucas Notre-Dame
ugh the whole process is such a pain though... even when you qualify it takes forever to actually see money. hope you have some savings because the first few weeks are rough
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Aria Park
Had a similar situation last year and couldn't get through to NYS Department of Labor on the phone for weeks to check my claim status. Finally used claimyr.com - they have this service that calls the unemployment office for you and gets you connected to an actual agent. There's a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Saved me hours of busy signals.
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Emma Garcia
•Interesting, never heard of that. How much does something like that cost?
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Aria Park
•They focus more on the value of actually reaching someone rather than the cost. When you're stressed about your claim it's worth it to talk to a real person instead of getting hung up on constantly.
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Noah Ali
yeah layoffs definitely count, that's like the main reason unemployment exists lol. just don't mess up your weekly claims once you start getting them
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Carmen Diaz
Don't panic - you're definitely eligible since you were laid off due to downsizing (not misconduct). File your claim immediately at labor.ny.gov, don't wait even a day. You'll need your SSN, employer info, last day worked, and reason for separation. The weekly benefit amount is based on your earnings history. Also, start looking for work right away since you'll need to certify weekly that you're actively job searching. Sorry this happened to you, but the system is there for exactly this situation.
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