Does Amazon pay unemployment benefits through NYS Department of Labor when you get fired?
Just got terminated from Amazon warehouse in Syracuse after 8 months and I'm wondering if they actually pay into unemployment or if there's some loophole they use? My supervisor said something about me not being eligible but I thought all employers had to pay unemployment taxes. Has anyone here filed for NYS Department of Labor benefits after working at Amazon? I'm stressed about making rent next month and need to know if I should even bother applying.
17 comments


Elliott luviBorBatman
Yes, Amazon definitely pays unemployment taxes to NYS Department of Labor like any other employer. Your supervisor was probably talking about something else or trying to discourage you from filing. As long as you worked there for at least 20 weeks and earned enough wages, you should be eligible for UI benefits. File your claim online at my.ny.gov right away - there's a waiting period and you want to get the process started.
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Rosie Harper
•Thank you! I was so confused because she made it sound like Amazon workers couldn't get unemployment. I'll file today.
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Demi Hall
worked at amazon for 2 years before getting laid off last year, got my unemployment no problem through NYS Department of Labor. took about 3 weeks to get my first payment but it went through fine. make sure you have your exact start/end dates and pay stubs ready when you file
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Mateusius Townsend
The reason you might have trouble isn't Amazon not paying unemployment taxes - it's if you were fired for misconduct vs laid off or terminated without cause. NYS Department of Labor will investigate the reason for your termination during adjudication. If Amazon claims you were fired for attendance issues, safety violations, or other misconduct, your claim could be denied. But you can always appeal if that happens.
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Rosie Harper
•They said it was for productivity but I was hitting my numbers most days. Should I be worried about the adjudication process?
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Mateusius Townsend
•Productivity terminations can go either way depending on the specifics. Document everything you can remember about your performance reviews and any warnings. If NYS Department of Labor needs more info, they'll contact both you and Amazon during adjudication.
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Kara Yoshida
AMAZON IS THE WORST they probably told you that to scare you from filing!!! I know 3 people who got unemployment after working there. The company tries to intimidate workers but they absolutely pay unemployment taxes like everyone else
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Philip Cowan
•Same energy here - my friend got her benefits after Amazon let her go for 'not fitting the culture' whatever that means
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Caesar Grant
I had issues reaching NYS Department of Labor when my Amazon claim went into adjudication last year. Kept getting busy signals and hung up on. Finally used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that gets you through to actual agents. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Saved me weeks of trying to get through on my own and helped me understand what documents Amazon had submitted about my termination.
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Rosie Harper
•How much does something like that cost? I'm already tight on money.
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Caesar Grant
•It was worth it for me since I was able to get my claim resolved quickly instead of waiting months. Check out their site for details - the peace of mind was huge.
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Naila Gordon
Amazon absolutely pays unemployment taxes to NYS Department of Labor - your supervisor was either misinformed or trying to discourage you from filing. I worked at the Buffalo fulfillment center for 6 months before getting terminated and had no issues getting my benefits approved. The key is to file your claim as soon as possible since there's a waiting week before payments start. Don't let them intimidate you - you earned those benefits through your work. Make sure to keep records of your employment dates and any documentation about your termination reason in case NYS DOL needs it during review.
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Zainab Ismail
•This is really helpful to hear from someone who actually went through it at Amazon! I'm definitely going to file today. Just curious - did NYS Department of Labor contact Amazon during your claim process or did it go through pretty smoothly without much back and forth?
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Andre Lefebvre
Amazon definitely pays unemployment taxes to NYS Department of Labor - they can't opt out of that. I got laid off from the Staten Island warehouse last spring and received my benefits without any major issues. The whole "not eligible" thing your supervisor mentioned is probably just intimidation tactics or confusion about misconduct vs. layoffs. File your claim immediately at my.ny.gov since there's a one-week waiting period before payments begin. Make sure you have your employment start/end dates, reason for separation, and last day worked ready. Even if Amazon contests it during adjudication, you can appeal. Don't let them scare you out of benefits you've earned!
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Connor O'Brien
•Really appreciate everyone sharing their Amazon experiences here! As someone who just went through this whole process myself, I can confirm Amazon definitely pays into the NYS unemployment system. I was terminated from the Rochester facility about 6 months ago and got my benefits approved after a brief adjudication period. The scariest part was waiting to hear back from NYS Department of Labor, but once they reviewed everything, it went through fine. @dd84d3bd2424 don't let that supervisor discourage you - file your claim right away and keep all your documentation handy just in case they need it during review.
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Sofía Rodríguez
Your supervisor was definitely wrong - Amazon pays unemployment taxes to NYS Department of Labor just like every other employer in New York. I went through this exact situation 8 months ago when I got terminated from the Amazon facility in Albany. Filed my claim online and received my first payment about 3 weeks later. The key is to apply immediately since there's a waiting week, and make sure you select "discharged/terminated" as your separation reason rather than "quit." Keep all your pay stubs and any termination paperwork handy in case NYS DOL needs documentation during their review process. Don't let them discourage you from claiming benefits you've rightfully earned through your work!
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Alexander Zeus
•Thanks for sharing your Albany experience! It's really reassuring to hear from multiple people who actually got their benefits after Amazon. I was starting to panic that maybe there was some special exemption for warehouse workers or something. Going to file my claim right now and keep my fingers crossed it goes as smoothly as yours did.
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