Does your former employer know if you are collecting unemployment benefits from NYS Department of Labor?
I just started collecting unemployment after getting laid off from my retail job last month. My manager was pretty upset when they let me go and made some comments about 'people who abuse the system.' Now I'm worried - can my former employer see that I'm collecting benefits through NYS Department of Labor? I don't want any drama but I need these benefits to pay rent. Does the unemployment office tell employers when their former employees file claims?
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Darcy Moore
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.
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Edward McBride
•Oh no, so they already know? What happens if they try to contest it? I was definitely laid off due to lack of work, not fired for cause.
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Dana Doyle
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.
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Edward McBride
•That makes me feel better. I do have the text message from my supervisor saying they had to reduce staff due to slow sales.
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Liam Duke
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
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Darcy Moore
•You can only file for unemployment if you're already unemployed through no fault of your own. You can't file while you're still employed or if you quit voluntarily. The employer notification exists because they partly fund the unemployment system through taxes.
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Manny Lark
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.
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Rita Jacobs
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.
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Edward McBride
•Thanks, I'll check that out. I've been trying to call NYS Department of Labor with questions but can never get through.
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Khalid Howes
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
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StarSurfer
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.
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