Does unemployment call your previous employer during NYS Department of Labor claim processing?
I just filed my unemployment claim last week and I'm really worried about whether NYS Department of Labor will call my previous employer. I left on somewhat bad terms (they were cutting hours drastically and I found another job that fell through) and I'm afraid they might say something that could hurt my claim. Do they always contact employers or only in certain situations? My claim status just says 'under review' right now and I'm getting anxious about what that means.
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Noah huntAce420
NYS Department of Labor doesn't automatically call every employer, but they do reach out in certain situations. They'll typically contact your employer if there's a question about why you left the job, if your employer contests the claim, or if there are discrepancies in the information provided. Since you mentioned leaving on bad terms, there's a chance they might investigate further, especially if your employer decides to challenge your eligibility.
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Dananyl Lear
•That's what I was afraid of. How long does it usually take to hear back if they do contact the employer? I really need these benefits to come through.
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Ana Rusula
They called my old job when I filed last year. Took about 2 weeks before I heard anything back and my claim went into adjudication. The whole process took almost a month to resolve. If you quit voluntarily it can definitely complicate things, even if you had good reasons.
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Dananyl Lear
•Oh no, did you end up getting approved? I technically quit but it was because they cut my hours to basically nothing.
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Ana Rusula
•Yeah I got approved eventually but I had to do a phone interview and provide documentation about why I left. Keep all your records about the hour cuts if you have them.
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Fidel Carson
The NYS Department of Labor system is SO frustrating with this stuff! They take forever to process anything and meanwhile you're just sitting there wondering if you'll be able to pay rent. I've been through this process twice and both times they made it way more complicated than it needed to be.
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Noah huntAce420
•I understand the frustration, but the verification process exists to prevent fraud. Most legitimate claims do get approved, it just takes time for them to review everything properly.
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Isaiah Sanders
If you're having trouble reaching NYS Department of Labor to check on your claim status, I had success using a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) when I was stuck in adjudication hell. They help you get through to an actual agent instead of waiting on hold forever. There's a demo video at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Really saved me a lot of stress when I needed answers about my case.
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Dananyl Lear
•Thanks, I might look into that if I can't get through on my own. How long did your adjudication take?
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Isaiah Sanders
•About 3 weeks total, but I probably could have gotten answers sooner if I'd used Claimyr from the start instead of trying to call myself for days.
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Xan Dae
same thing happening to me right now... filed 2 weeks ago and still showing under review. this is so stressful when you need the money
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Mason Lopez
•I feel you on the stress! Two weeks is still within the normal timeframe though. From what I've read here and experienced myself, most claims take 2-4 weeks to process initially. The "under review" status is pretty standard - it doesn't necessarily mean there's a problem. Try to hang in there, and maybe keep checking the portal every few days for updates.
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Connor Murphy
I went through something similar a few months ago. NYS DOL will contact your employer if they need clarification about your separation, but it's not guaranteed they will. In your case, since you mentioned they cut your hours drastically, that could actually work in your favor - "constructive dismissal" where they essentially forced you out by making the job unviable. Make sure you have any documentation about the hour cuts (pay stubs, schedules, emails) because that can really help your case if they do investigate. The "under review" status is normal and can last anywhere from 1-4 weeks depending on their workload.
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Tyler Murphy
•This is really helpful information about constructive dismissal - I hadn't thought about it that way! I do have some pay stubs showing the dramatic drop in hours, and I think I still have the text messages from my manager about the schedule changes. Should I upload these documents somewhere in the system now, or wait until they ask for them? I don't want to seem like I'm overcomplicating things, but I also want to be prepared if they do contact my old employer.
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