Do you have to be fired to get unemployment benefits from NYS Department of Labor?
My hours got cut from 40 to 15 per week at my retail job and I'm struggling to pay rent. My coworker told me I can't file for unemployment unless I get fired but that doesn't sound right? I've been working there for 2 years and this hour reduction is killing me financially. Can I apply for partial unemployment benefits through NYS Department of Labor or do I really need to wait until they fire me completely?
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Amelia Dietrich
No, you definitely don't have to be fired! NYS Department of Labor has partial unemployment benefits for exactly your situation. If your hours are reduced through no fault of your own, you can file a claim. You'll need to report your reduced earnings when you file your weekly claim, and they'll calculate a partial benefit amount.
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KhalilStar
•Really? That's such a relief! Do I file the same way as regular unemployment or is there a different process for partial claims?
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Kaiya Rivera
yeah partial unemployment is a thing but the weekly benefit amount is pretty small, might not be worth the hassle tbh
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Katherine Ziminski
To qualify for unemployment in New York, you need to meet one of several criteria - being fired is just one option. You can also qualify if you're laid off, have your hours significantly reduced, quit for qualifying reasons (like unsafe working conditions), or lose work due to no fault of your own. The key is that the job loss or reduction can't be due to misconduct on your part. For partial unemployment, you'll still need to meet the job search requirements and be available for full-time work.
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Noah Irving
•wait so if I quit my toxic job I can still get benefits? I thought quitting automatically disqualified you
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Katherine Ziminski
•Only if you quit for specific qualifying reasons that NYS Department of Labor recognizes - like harassment, unsafe conditions, significant changes to your job duties, or other documented issues. It's much harder to prove than being laid off though.
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Vanessa Chang
I was in a similar situation last year when my restaurant cut everyone's shifts after the busy season ended. Took me forever to get through to someone at NYS Department of Labor to ask about partial benefits. The phone lines are impossible! I ended up using this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helps you actually reach a live agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Saved me hours of trying to call myself and I got my partial claim sorted out within a week.
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Madison King
•How much did that cost? I'm already broke from the hour cuts
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Vanessa Chang
•It was worth it for me since I was losing money every day my claim wasn't processed. Much cheaper than missing out on weeks of benefits because I couldn't get through.
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Julian Paolo
The whole unemployment system is ridiculous anyway. They make it so complicated that people don't even know they qualify for help when their employer screws them over with hour cuts. Of course you can get partial unemployment - employers would abuse workers even more if that wasn't an option!
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Madison King
Same thing happened to me but with my warehouse job. Filed for partial and it helped cover some bills while I looked for something full-time. Just make sure you keep track of all your hours and wages when you file your weekly claims.
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