Does unemployment contact your previous employer when you file a claim?
I'm thinking about filing for unemployment benefits but I'm worried about what my old company will find out. Does the NYS Department of Labor automatically contact your previous employer when you submit your initial claim? I left on somewhat bad terms and don't want them knowing I'm collecting benefits if possible. Also wondering if they can contest my claim even if I quit for good cause (hostile work environment). Anyone know how this process actually works?
17 comments
Join the conversation
Dmitry Smirnov
Yes, NYS Department of Labor does contact your previous employer as part of the standard claims process. They send what's called a 'Notice of Unemployment Insurance Claim Filed' to verify your employment dates, wages, and reason for separation. Your employer has 10 days to respond and can contest the claim if they disagree with the circumstances. If you quit, you'll need to prove it was for good cause during the adjudication process.
0 coins
Sofia Perez
•Ugh, that's what I was afraid of. Do they tell the employer exactly why I'm claiming benefits or just that I filed?
0 coins
ElectricDreamer
Your employer will definitely know you filed. They get notified every time and it shows up on their unemployment insurance account. If you quit for hostile work environment you better have documentation - emails, witness statements, HR complaints, etc. NYS Department of Labor takes quit cases seriously and the burden of proof is on you to show good cause.
0 coins
Ava Johnson
•This is exactly right. I had to appeal my initial denial and provide tons of evidence to prove constructive dismissal. Took 3 months but I eventually won.
0 coins
Miguel Diaz
wait so even if you get fired they still contact the employer?? that seems redundant if the employer already knows they fired you
0 coins
Dmitry Smirnov
•Yes, because they need to verify the details and make sure both sides agree on what happened. Sometimes employers will claim someone quit when they were actually fired, or vice versa.
0 coins
Zainab Ahmed
I've been dealing with NYS Department of Labor for weeks trying to get through to someone about my adjudication. The whole system is a nightmare - you can't reach anyone by phone and they take forever to respond to messages. If you need to actually talk to someone about your claim status, I found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helps you get through to NYS Department of Labor agents. They have a video demo showing how it works: https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI. Saved me hours of calling and getting hung up on.
0 coins
Connor Byrne
•How much does something like that cost? Seems like we shouldn't have to pay extra just to talk to our own state agency.
0 coins
Zainab Ahmed
•I get the frustration but honestly it was worth it for me. The alternative was sitting on hold for hours every day and never getting through. At least this way I could actually get my questions answered.
0 coins
Yara Abboud
Your employer will 100% be notified and they can absolutely contest your claim. I managed a team for years and we got those notices constantly. Most of the time we didn't contest unless someone committed misconduct or lied about being fired vs quitting. Hostile work environment cases are really hard to prove - you need concrete evidence, not just 'my boss was mean to me.
0 coins
Connor Byrne
So basically there's no way to file without your employer knowing? That really sucks for people in toxic situations who might face retaliation...
0 coins
Dmitry Smirnov
•Unfortunately no, employer notification is required by law. But retaliation against former employees for filing UI claims would be illegal. If that happens you should report it.
0 coins
Carmen Vega
I went through this exact situation last year after leaving a toxic workplace. Yes, your employer gets notified automatically - there's no way around it. The notice they receive includes basic info like your claim date and employment period, but not detailed reasons why you're claiming benefits. However, if they contest it (which they might if you quit), then the specifics come out during the hearing process. I'd recommend documenting everything you can about the hostile work environment before filing - save emails, texts, write down incidents with dates, get witness contact info if possible. The good news is that if you truly have good cause, NYS does recognize hostile work environment as valid grounds for quitting. Just be prepared for a potentially lengthy appeals process if your employer fights it.
0 coins
Norah Quay
•Thank you for sharing your experience Carmen - this is really helpful to know what to expect. How long did your appeals process take overall? And did you end up having to do a phone hearing or was it handled through written documentation? I'm trying to figure out if it's worth the stress of going through all this or if I should just look for another job first.
0 coins
Maya Diaz
•@Norah Quay My appeals process took about 2.5 months total. I had to do a phone hearing where both me and my former employer presented our cases to an administrative law judge. It was nerve-wracking but I m'glad I went through with it - I had documented several incidents of harassment and verbal abuse, plus a witness who was willing to testify. The judge ruled in my favor. My advice would be to start looking for work while you file the claim - you have to be actively job searching anyway to maintain eligibility. Don t'let a toxic employer intimidate you out of benefits you re'entitled to, especially if you have good documentation of the hostile environment.
0 coins
Jeremiah Brown
Just wanted to add that if you're worried about your employer finding out, you should know that they'll receive the notification regardless of whether you were fired or quit. However, the initial notice doesn't include your personal reasons for filing - it's mainly for wage verification. The detailed circumstances only come up if they decide to contest your claim. I'd suggest filing sooner rather than later since there are time limits, and you can always appeal if they contest it. Also, keep in mind that even if the relationship ended badly, many employers don't bother contesting claims unless there was serious misconduct involved, since it takes time and resources on their end too.
0 coins
Liam Mendez
•That's a good point about many employers not bothering to contest unless there's serious misconduct. I'm dealing with a similar situation where I'm worried about filing because my former manager was vindictive, but you're right that it might not be worth their time to fight it. The time limits are definitely something to keep in mind too - I think you only have a certain window to file after your last day of work. Does anyone know exactly how long you have to file your initial claim in NY?
0 coins