How does unemployment claim affect employer - NYS Department of Labor asking questions
I got laid off from my restaurant job last month and filed for unemployment benefits. My manager called me yesterday saying the NYS Department of Labor contacted them asking for information about my claim. She seemed really annoyed and said something about their unemployment insurance rates going up because of my claim. Is this true? I feel terrible now - I didn't know filing for unemployment would hurt my former employer. Should I have not filed? I really need the money to pay rent but I don't want to screw over the people who employed me for 2 years.
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Collins Angel
Don't feel bad at all! You paid into the unemployment insurance system through your work, so you have every right to claim benefits when you're eligible. Yes, employers do pay unemployment insurance taxes and their rates can be affected by claims, but that's literally what the system is designed for. When you're laid off through no fault of your own, you're supposed to file for unemployment.
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Avery Davis
•Thank you, that makes me feel better. I was worried I was doing something wrong by filing.
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Marcelle Drum
Your former employer is required by law to respond to NYS Department of Labor inquiries about your claim. They have to provide information about your wages, reason for separation, and other details. Their UI tax rate is based on their 'experience rating' - basically how many former employees have filed claims. But again, this is normal business operating cost, not something you should worry about.
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Tate Jensen
•exactly this. restaurants especially have high turnover so they should expect unemployment claims. its part of doing business
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Adaline Wong
I had a similar situation where my old boss tried to make me feel guilty about filing for unemployment. The NYS Department of Labor told me that employers sometimes try to discourage claims to keep their rates down, but you shouldn't let that stop you from getting benefits you've earned. If you were laid off and not fired for misconduct, you're entitled to unemployment.
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Gabriel Ruiz
Been trying to reach someone at NYS Department of Labor for weeks about my own claim status. If you need to talk to them directly about employer issues, I found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that actually gets you through to a real person instead of being on hold forever. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Way easier than the regular phone system.
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Avery Davis
•Thanks for the tip! I might need that if my employer tries to contest my claim.
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Misterclamation Skyblue
wait so when I file for unemployment my old job finds out?? I thought that was private information
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Collins Angel
•Yes, NYS Department of Labor contacts employers to verify the information on your claim. They need to confirm your wages, dates of employment, and reason for leaving. It's part of the standard verification process.
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Peyton Clarke
Don't let them guilt trip you! I've been through this with multiple jobs and some employers just don't like paying into the system. The restaurant industry especially has issues with this because they have high employee turnover. Your manager should understand that unemployment insurance is a cost of doing business, not a personal attack on the company.
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