Help with how to fill out unemployment online - NYS Department of Labor website confusing
I'm trying to file my initial unemployment claim on the NYS Department of Labor website but I'm getting stuck on some of the questions. The my.ny.gov portal is asking for employment history going back 18 months and I had like 4 different jobs during that time. Do I need to list every single employer even if I only worked there for a few weeks? Also there's this section about 'reason for separation' and I'm not sure what to put since I got laid off but it was technically a 'reduction in workforce.' Anyone know how to fill out unemployment online properly so I don't mess up my claim?
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Quinn Herbert
Yes you need to list all employers from the past 18 months even short-term jobs. For reason for separation, 'reduction in workforce' is the same as laid off - choose 'lack of work' from the dropdown. Make sure you have your Social Security card, driver's license, and pay stubs ready before starting. The system times out after 20 minutes of inactivity so have everything prepared first.
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Shelby Bauman
•Thank you! I was worried about the timeout thing. Should I gather all my W-2s too or just the most recent pay stubs?
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Salim Nasir
ugh this website is so confusing i gave up twice before finally getting through it. the employment history part took me forever because i had to look up exact dates and addresses for all my old jobs
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Hazel Garcia
•Pro tip: if you don't have exact dates, you can estimate but try to be as close as possible. NYS Department of Labor will verify with employers anyway. For addresses, you can look up old employers on Google Maps if you forgot the exact street number.
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Laila Fury
I had trouble reaching NYS Department of Labor when I needed help with my online application. Kept getting busy signals and the callback option never worked. Finally used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me through to an actual agent. They have a demo video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI. Made the whole process so much easier when I could actually talk to someone.
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Shelby Bauman
•How much does something like that cost? I'm unemployed so money is tight right now.
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Laila Fury
•It was worth it for me since I was stuck for days trying to get help. Way less stressful than calling hundreds of times.
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Geoff Richards
The NYS Department of Labor online system is a nightmare. Half the time it crashes right when you're submitting and you have to start over. Been dealing with this bureaucratic mess for weeks now. They make it deliberately complicated so people give up and don't file claims.
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Simon White
•I feel you on the frustration but the system has actually gotten better since they updated it last year. Still not perfect but way more stable than it used to be.
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Quinn Herbert
Few more tips for filling out the online application: 1) Use your legal name exactly as it appears on your Social Security card, 2) For wages, enter gross amount not net, 3) If you worked out of state during the base period you'll need to file an interstate claim, 4) Save screenshots of each page in case something goes wrong. The confirmation number at the end is super important - write it down immediately.
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Shelby Bauman
•This is so helpful, thank you! I didn't know about the interstate thing. I worked in New Jersey for 2 months last year, does that count?
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Quinn Herbert
•Yes, that would require an interstate claim. You'll need to contact both NYS Department of Labor and New Jersey to coordinate the claim properly.
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