Does your former employer know if you are collecting unemployment benefits from NYS Department of Labor?

Yes, your former employer does get notified when you file for unemployment benefits. NYS Department of Labor sends them a 'Notice of Unemployment Insurance Claim Filed' within a few days of your claim. This gives them a chance to respond if they want to contest the claim. However, they don't get ongoing updates about your weekly claims or benefit amounts - just the initial notification that you filed.

Don't stress about it too much. Even if your employer contests the claim, as long as you were legitimately laid off and not terminated for misconduct, you should be fine. NYS Department of Labor will investigate any employer response and make a determination. Keep any documentation you have about your layoff - emails, texts, anything that shows it was due to business reasons and not your performance.

wait so every time someone files unemployment the boss finds out?? that seems like an invasion of privacy tbh. what if you're planning to file but haven't told them yet that you're leaving

Had this same worry when I got laid off from my restaurant job. My boss was pretty bitter about having to let people go. NYS Department of Labor did send them the notice but nothing came of it. I think most employers only contest claims if they think the person was fired for a good reason or quit voluntarily. If you were clearly laid off due to business reasons you should be good.

If you're having trouble reaching NYS Department of Labor to ask questions about your claim status or employer responses, I found this service called Claimyr that helps you get through to an actual agent. Check out claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Way easier than trying to call the regular NYS Department of Labor number and getting hung up on.

honestly the whole system is designed to make employers and employees paranoid about each other. like why can't they just handle this stuff without all the drama and notifications

I understand your concern about the notification system, but it actually serves an important purpose. Employers contribute to the unemployment insurance fund through payroll taxes, so they have a legitimate interest in knowing when claims are filed against their account. The system needs to balance protecting workers' rights to benefits with preventing fraud. Without employer notification, there would be no way to verify that claims are legitimate. The good news is that once the initial notification period passes and no contest is filed, your former employer won't receive ongoing updates about your benefits.

I went through this exact situation a few months ago when I got laid off from my office job. My boss was also pretty upset about having to do layoffs and made some snide remarks. The NYS Department of Labor did send them the notification, but honestly, once you're laid off, what can they really do? The notification is just standard procedure. As long as you were legitimately laid off (which it sounds like you were), you have nothing to worry about. Most employers don't bother contesting unless they think someone was fired for misconduct or quit voluntarily. Focus on your job search and don't let your former manager's attitude stress you out - you earned those benefits through your work history.

I've been in a similar situation and can relate to your anxiety about this. The notification to employers is automatic and happens within a few days of filing, but try not to let it stress you out too much. Since you were laid off due to lack of work (not fired for misconduct), your claim should be straightforward. Even if your former manager was upset about the layoffs, contesting a legitimate unemployment claim takes time and effort that most employers don't want to invest in, especially for someone who was clearly laid off for business reasons. Keep that documentation about the layoff handy just in case, but odds are you won't need it. Focus on your job search and taking care of yourself - you've earned these benefits through your previous work contributions.

The notification system can definitely feel uncomfortable when you're already dealing with the stress of job loss, but remember that it's a standard legal requirement - not something personal against you. I went through this when I was laid off from my marketing job last year. My former boss received the notification, but nothing came of it because the layoff was clearly legitimate (budget cuts). The key thing to remember is that NYS Department of Labor investigates any employer challenges, and they're experienced at distinguishing between legitimate layoffs and questionable terminations. Since you have documentation (that text about slow sales) and were clearly laid off for business reasons, you're in a strong position. Try not to let your former manager's attitude get to you - you paid into this system through your work, and you have every right to these benefits while you search for new employment.

I completely understand your anxiety about this - I was in the exact same boat when I got laid off from my warehouse job a few months ago. My supervisor was also pretty bitter about the layoffs and made some passive-aggressive comments about "people living off the government." The truth is, yes, your former employer does get that initial notification from NYS Department of Labor, but honestly, most reasonable employers understand that layoffs happen and unemployment benefits are part of the safety net. The fact that you have that text message documenting it was due to slow sales is huge - that's solid proof it was a legitimate business decision, not misconduct on your part. I kept all my documentation ready too, but my former employer never even responded to the notification. Don't let your manager's attitude make you feel guilty about collecting benefits you're entitled to. You worked for those benefits, and now you need them while you find your next job. Focus on your job search and let the system work as it's designed to.

I can totally relate to this anxiety! When I got laid off from my customer service job last year, I was so worried about my former manager finding out about my unemployment claim because she had made similar comments about people "gaming the system." The reality is that the notification process is completely routine and automatic - NYS Department of Labor has to notify employers because they fund the system through their payroll taxes. What helped ease my mind was realizing that legitimate layoffs like yours (you have that text about slow sales!) are exactly what unemployment benefits are designed for. Your former manager's attitude says more about them than it does about you or the system. Most employers who receive these notifications don't even bother responding unless they have a legitimate reason to believe the termination was for misconduct. Since you were clearly laid off for business reasons and have documentation to prove it, you're in a strong position. Try not to let your former manager's negativity overshadow the fact that you've earned these benefits and deserve to use them while you search for your next opportunity.

I went through this exact same worry when I filed for unemployment after being laid off from my office job. My former manager was also pretty resentful about the layoffs and made some snide remarks about people "milking the system." Yes, NYS Department of Labor does automatically send employers a notification when you file, usually within a few business days. But here's the thing - that text message you have from your supervisor about slow sales is golden documentation that proves this was a legitimate business layoff, not a termination for cause. In my case, even though my manager received the notification, they never contested it because they knew it was a legitimate layoff due to budget cuts. Most employers only fight unemployment claims when they believe someone was fired for misconduct or quit voluntarily. Since you were clearly laid off for business reasons and have proof, you should be in good shape. Don't let your former manager's attitude make you feel guilty about collecting benefits you paid into through your previous employment. Focus on your job search and remember that this safety net is exactly what it's designed for.

I'm dealing with this exact situation right now! Just filed for unemployment after getting laid off from my tech support job last week. My former supervisor made some pretty harsh comments during the layoff meeting about "people who expect handouts" which has me really anxious about them getting that notification from NYS Department of Labor. Reading through everyone's experiences here is super reassuring though - it sounds like as long as you were legitimately laid off (which I was, due to company restructuring), there's usually nothing to worry about even if your former employer isn't happy about it. I don't have a text like some of you mentioned, but I do have the official layoff notice they gave me citing "organizational changes." Hopefully that's enough documentation if they try to contest it. Thanks everyone for sharing your stories - it really helps to know this is just standard procedure and not something to stress about!

I'm going through this same anxiety right now! Just got laid off from my healthcare admin job two weeks ago and filed for unemployment benefits. My former supervisor was really frustrated about having to do layoffs and made several comments about "people taking advantage of government programs." I've been losing sleep wondering if they'll try to make trouble for my claim when they get that notification from NYS Department of Labor. But reading everyone's experiences here is such a relief - it sounds like most legitimate layoffs don't face any real challenges even when managers are bitter about it. I have my official termination letter that clearly states "position eliminated due to budget constraints" so I'm hoping that's solid enough documentation. It's frustrating that we have to worry about former employers' attitudes when we're already dealing with job loss, but I'm trying to focus on what everyone said about this being exactly what unemployment benefits are designed for. Thanks to everyone sharing their stories - it really helps knowing we're not alone in dealing with difficult former managers!

I'm in a very similar situation right now - just filed for unemployment last week after getting laid off from my restaurant job. My manager was also really bitter about having to let people go and made some pretty harsh comments about "freeloaders" during our final shift. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been so helpful! It sounds like even though the NYS Department of Labor notification to employers is automatic, most legitimate layoffs don't face any real pushback. I have my final schedule that shows my hours were cut to zero due to "reduced business volume," so hopefully that serves as good documentation if needed. It's reassuring to know that so many of you have been through this same anxiety with difficult former managers and everything worked out fine. I think the hardest part is not taking their negative attitudes personally when we're already stressed about being unemployed. Thanks everyone for sharing your stories - it really helps to know this employer notification is just standard procedure and not something to panic about!

I'm dealing with this same anxiety right now! Just got laid off from my bookkeeping job at a small business last Friday and filed my unemployment claim on Monday. My former boss was really frustrated during the layoff conversation and made some pointed comments about "people who don't want to work" which has me worried about how they'll react to getting that notification from NYS Department of Labor. Reading everyone's experiences here is incredibly reassuring though - it sounds like most legitimate layoffs don't face any real challenges even when former employers aren't happy about it. I have my layoff letter that specifically mentions "downsizing due to economic conditions" so I'm hoping that's solid documentation. It's tough enough dealing with job loss without having to worry about drama from your former employer, but I'm trying to focus on what everyone said about this being exactly what the unemployment system is designed for. Thanks to everyone for sharing your stories - it really helps knowing so many others have navigated this successfully even with difficult former managers!