High levels of unemployment and business failures during recession - NYS Department of Labor claim process?
I'm seeing so many businesses closing in my area and unemployment rates are climbing. Just got laid off from my retail job after 6 years because they're shutting down three locations. This seems like we're in that recession phase everyone talks about. Never filed for unemployment before - how does the NYS Department of Labor claim process work when there's high unemployment like this? Are they overwhelmed with applications right now? Worried about delays getting benefits approved.
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Nia Watson
Yes, during economic downturns the NYS Department of Labor does see increased claim volume. You should file immediately - benefits are calculated from when you file, not when you're approved. The process is the same regardless of economic conditions: file online, complete weekly claims, meet job search requirements. Current processing times are actually pretty reasonable despite higher volumes.
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Micah Trail
•Thanks! Should I wait to file until I know for sure my last day or can I file now? My manager said probably next Friday but nothing official yet.
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Alberto Souchard
filed mine 2 weeks ago and got approved pretty quick actually, they must have improved their systems since the last recession
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Katherine Shultz
Don't wait - file the week after your last day of work. During recession phases, the NYS Department of Labor usually gets additional federal funding to handle increased claims. Make sure you have your employer info ready and start documenting your job search immediately. The 2025 requirements are stricter than before.
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Marcus Marsh
•What are the current job search requirements? I heard they changed them recently but can't find clear info on the NYS Department of Labor website.
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Hailey O'Leary
This whole economic situation is insane!!! Three of my friends got laid off this month and my company is talking about 'restructuring' which we all know means more layoffs coming. The system wasn't built to handle this many people losing jobs at once. I'm dreading having to deal with NYS Department of Labor bureaucracy if I get cut.
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Cedric Chung
•I had major issues trying to reach NYS Department of Labor agents when I needed help with my adjudication. Kept getting busy signals and when I did get through, got transferred around forever. Finally used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get connected to an actual person. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Made the whole process so much easier.
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Talia Klein
Wait, I'm confused about something. If businesses are failing because of the recession phase, does that affect whether I can get unemployment? Like if my employer goes completely bankrupt, will NYS Department of Labor still pay benefits? I'm worried they'll say it's not the employer's fault or something weird like that.
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Nia Watson
•Business closure due to economic conditions absolutely qualifies for unemployment benefits. The reason for the layoff doesn't matter as long as it wasn't for misconduct on your part. NYS Department of Labor benefits come from a state fund, not directly from your employer, so bankruptcies don't affect your eligibility.
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