Does NYS Department of Labor contact your employer when you file unemployment?
I'm thinking about filing for unemployment benefits since my hours got cut to part-time and I'm barely making ends meet. But I'm worried - does unemployment contact your employer when you file? My boss has been pretty unpredictable lately and I don't want to make things worse at work if they find out I filed. I still have the part-time job but need the extra help to pay my bills. Can anyone tell me what NYS Department of Labor's process is for employer contact?
29 comments


Amaya Watson
Yes, NYS Department of Labor will contact your employer as part of the claims process. They need to verify your work history, wages, and the reason you're filing. Your employer gets notified and has the opportunity to respond about whether they agree with your claim. This is standard procedure for all unemployment claims in New York.
0 coins
Tristan Carpenter
•Oh no, that's what I was afraid of. Do they contact them right away or is there a delay? I'm trying to figure out the timing.
0 coins
Grant Vikers
They usually send the employer a notice within a few days of you filing. The employer has 10 days to respond if they want to contest your claim. Since you're still working part-time, make sure you report your hours and wages correctly on your weekly claims or you could get in trouble for overpayment later.
0 coins
Giovanni Martello
•This happened to me last year. My boss wasn't happy about getting the notice but there wasn't much they could do about it since I was legitimately entitled to partial benefits.
0 coins
Cedric Chung
Yes, NYS Department of Labor does contact employers as part of the standard claim verification process. They send what's called a 'Notice of Unemployment Insurance Claim Filed' to your former employer within a few days of you filing. The employer has 10 days to respond with information about your separation reason, wages, and whether they contest the claim.
0 coins
Hailey O'Leary
•Oh no, so there's no way to avoid them finding out? What exactly does that notice tell them about why I'm filing?
0 coins
Talia Klein
The notice doesn't go into personal details about your situation. It basically just notifies them that you filed for UI benefits and asks them to verify your employment dates, final wages, and reason for separation. If there's no dispute about eligibility, it's pretty routine paperwork for most employers. They deal with these notices regularly.
0 coins
Maxwell St. Laurent
•exactly this happened to me last year when I got laid off, my old boss said they get these forms all the time and its no big deal
0 coins
PaulineW
Just be honest on your application about the separation reason. If you put down 'quit' vs 'fired' vs 'laid off' incorrectly and it doesn't match what your employer reports, that's when you might run into adjudication issues. The NYS Department of Labor will investigate any discrepancies and that process takes way longer.
0 coins
Savannah Weiner
Wait, I'm confused - can you even get unemployment if you're still working? I thought you had to be completely unemployed to qualify for benefits from NYS Department of Labor.
0 coins
Amaya Watson
•You can get partial unemployment benefits if your hours or wages were reduced through no fault of your own. As long as you're working less than 4 days a week and earning less than your weekly benefit amount, you may qualify.
0 coins
Levi Parker
I had major issues trying to reach NYS Department of Labor when my employer contested my claim. Kept getting busy signals for weeks. Finally used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that actually got me through to a real person at the unemployment office. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Saved me so much frustration trying to get my questions answered.
0 coins
Tristan Carpenter
•That sounds really helpful! How quickly were you able to get through to someone?
0 coins
Levi Parker
•Much faster than calling myself. They handle all the redialing and waiting so you don't have to sit there for hours getting busy signals.
0 coins
Libby Hassan
honestly your employer is gonna find out anyway so might as well file if you qualify... bills dont pay themselves and thats what unemployment is for
0 coins
Annabel Kimball
ugh I was worried about this too but honestly your employer probably won't even remember getting the notice unless they're trying to fight your claim. Most companies just fill out the form and send it back, especially if you were legitimately let go or laid off.
0 coins
Hunter Hampton
The whole system is designed to make it hard for workers to get help. Of course they contact your employer - they want to give businesses every chance to fight your claim. Just another way the system is rigged against regular people trying to survive.
0 coins
Grant Vikers
•While I understand the frustration, employer verification is actually required by federal law to prevent fraud. It's not unique to New York.
0 coins
Talia Klein
If you're having trouble reaching NYS Department of Labor to ask more specific questions about your situation, I used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get through to an actual agent. They have a demo video at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Was way easier than trying to call the regular number and getting disconnected.
0 coins
Hailey O'Leary
•Thanks, I might check that out. I tried calling yesterday and couldn't get through at all.
0 coins
Chris Elmeda
The whole system is designed to verify claims so yeah they're gonna contact your employer no matter what. But unless you lied about something major or your employer wants to contest it most of the time its just paperwork
0 coins
PixelWarrior
I was in a similar situation last year when my hours got reduced. Yes, NYS DOL does contact your employer, but in my experience it was pretty low-key. They just sent a standard form asking my boss to verify my employment dates and wages. My manager mentioned getting it but said it was routine paperwork they deal with regularly. The key thing is to be completely accurate about your reason for reduced hours when you file - if you say it was due to lack of work and your employer confirms that, there shouldn't be any drama. Just make sure you report your part-time earnings correctly each week when you certify for benefits.
0 coins
Liam Mendez
•Thanks for sharing your experience! That's really reassuring to hear it was just routine paperwork for your manager. I'm definitely going to be super careful about reporting everything accurately - the last thing I need is to get in trouble for overpayment on top of everything else. Did you find the partial benefits helpful for covering your bills while working reduced hours?
0 coins
Chloe Harris
I went through this exact same worry when I filed for partial unemployment in NY. Yes, they do contact your employer within a few days, but honestly it ended up being much less dramatic than I expected. The notice they send is pretty standard - just asks for verification of your employment info and separation reason. Since you're filing due to reduced hours (which is totally legitimate), your employer will likely just confirm that and send it back. Most businesses deal with these regularly and it's just routine HR paperwork for them. The bigger concern should be making sure you accurately report your part-time wages each week when you certify - that's where people sometimes get tripped up. But don't let fear of employer notification stop you from getting benefits you're entitled to!
0 coins
Keisha Thompson
•This is really helpful to hear from someone who's been through the exact same situation! I've been losing sleep over this decision but you're absolutely right - I shouldn't let fear stop me from getting help I'm entitled to. The reduced hours thing is definitely legitimate on my end, so hopefully my employer will just confirm that like you said. I'm going to be extra careful about reporting my part-time wages correctly each week. Thanks for the reassurance that it's usually just routine paperwork for employers!
0 coins
Geoff Richards
I understand your anxiety about this - I was in the exact same boat when my restaurant cut my hours from full-time to just weekends. Yes, NYS DOL will send your employer a notice within about a week of filing, but it's really just a standard verification form. They're not calling to gossip or cause drama - it's literally just asking "did this person work here, what were their wages, why did their hours get reduced." Since you're filing for legitimate reasons (hour reduction through no fault of your own), your employer will likely just check the boxes and send it back. Most managers deal with these forms regularly and it's routine paperwork to them. Don't let fear of this notification prevent you from getting financial help you're legally entitled to. Just be 100% honest about the reason for your reduced hours when you file, and make sure to report your part-time earnings accurately each week. The benefits really helped me get through that tough period until I found another job.
0 coins
Nina Fitzgerald
•This is exactly what I needed to hear! I work at a retail store and my hours got cut from 35 to about 15 hours a week, so it sounds like our situations are pretty similar. It's good to know that it really is just routine paperwork for most managers. I've been putting off filing because I was worried my boss would think I was being disloyal or something, but you're right - I shouldn't let that fear stop me from getting help I'm entitled to. I'm definitely going to file this week and just make sure I'm completely honest about everything. Thanks for sharing your experience!
0 coins
Maria Gonzalez
I went through this same situation a few months ago when my hours got reduced at my retail job. Yes, NYS DOL does contact your employer - they send what's called a "Notice of Unemployment Insurance Claim Filed" usually within 3-5 business days of when you file. But honestly, it turned out to be way less stressful than I anticipated. The form they send is pretty straightforward - it just asks your employer to verify basic info like your employment dates, wages, and reason for the hour reduction. Since you're filing for a legitimate reason (reduced hours through no fault of your own), your employer will most likely just confirm that information and send it back. Most HR departments or managers deal with these notices regularly, so it's really just routine paperwork for them. The key is to be completely accurate when you file about why your hours were cut. And definitely make sure you report your part-time wages correctly each week when you certify - that's super important to avoid any overpayment issues later. Don't let worry about the employer notification stop you from getting benefits you're entitled to - the partial unemployment really helped me bridge the gap until things improved.
0 coins
AstroAdventurer
•Thank you so much for sharing your detailed experience! This is incredibly helpful. I'm in almost the exact same situation - my hours at work got cut pretty drastically and I've been hesitating to file because I was worried about my employer's reaction. It's really reassuring to hear that it's just routine paperwork for most HR departments. I think I've been overthinking this whole thing. You're absolutely right that I shouldn't let fear prevent me from getting help I'm entitled to. I'm going to file this week and make sure I'm super careful about reporting everything accurately. Thanks for the encouragement!
0 coins