Does filing for unemployment hurt you financially or with future employers in NYS?
I just got laid off from my marketing job and I'm really hesitant about filing for unemployment benefits with NYS Department of Labor. My dad keeps telling me that filing for unemployment will hurt my credit score or make it harder to get hired later because employers can see it somehow. Is this actually true? I've been out of work for two weeks already and I'm starting to worry about my rent payment but I don't want to mess up my future job prospects. Has anyone had problems with employers finding out about their unemployment claims or does it actually affect your credit in any way?
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Arjun Patel
Your dad is completely wrong about this. Filing for unemployment benefits does NOT affect your credit score at all - it's not reported to credit agencies. And employers cannot see your unemployment history unless you specifically tell them. The only exception is if you're applying for certain government jobs that require security clearances, but even then it's not necessarily disqualifying. You've already paid into the unemployment system through your payroll taxes, so you're entitled to these benefits.
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Julia Hall
•Thank you so much! That's such a relief to hear. I was really stressing about this for no reason apparently.
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Jade Lopez
File ASAP! Every week you wait is money you're losing. I made the mistake of waiting a month before filing and you can't get benefits for weeks before you actually apply. The NYS Department of Labor system is pretty straightforward - just go to labor.ny.gov and start your claim. You'll need your social security card, driver's license, and employment info for the last 18 months.
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Julia Hall
•Oh no, I wish I had known that earlier! I'll file today then. Do I need pay stubs or will they get that info from my employer?
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Jade Lopez
•They'll verify with your employer but having your last pay stub handy helps speed things up. Also make sure you have your employer's FEIN number if possible.
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Tony Brooks
honestly the only thing that might 'hurt' you is if you don't do your weekly claims or job search requirements properly and get disqualified. but as far as credit or employers finding out, nah that's not a thing. unemployment is literally insurance you paid for
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Ella rollingthunder87
I was in a similar situation last year and was worried about the same thing. Filed anyway and had zero issues getting hired at my current job. Actually, when I mentioned during interviews that I was collecting unemployment temporarily while job searching, some employers seemed to respect that I was being responsible about my finances rather than just racking up debt. The stigma around unemployment is mostly in people's heads.
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Yara Campbell
•This is so true! I've been on both sides as someone who collected benefits and later as a hiring manager. We literally never check or care about someone's unemployment history. We care about skills and experience.
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Isaac Wright
I had trouble reaching NYS Department of Labor when my claim got stuck in adjudication for weeks. Calling their regular number was impossible - always busy or would hang up after being on hold forever. Someone here recommended Claimyr (claimyr.com) which helps you get through to actual agents. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Saved me weeks of frustration trying to get my claim resolved.
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Julia Hall
•Good to know about that service, hopefully I won't need it but I'll keep it bookmarked just in case my claim runs into issues.
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Mateo Martinez
Just wanted to add that I've been hiring in HR for 8 years in NY and we absolutely cannot and do not check unemployment records - it's not even legally accessible to most employers. The only time unemployment might come up is if YOU mention it in an interview, and honestly most hiring managers understand that layoffs happen and it's not a reflection of your work quality. Your dad's advice comes from an older generation when there was more stigma, but that's really not the case anymore. File immediately and don't stress about it affecting future opportunities!
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