How hard is it to get unemployment benefits approved by NYS Department of Labor?
I just got laid off from my warehouse job after 8 months and I'm trying to figure out if it's worth applying for unemployment. My supervisor said something about the company contesting claims but I don't really understand what that means. Is it actually difficult to get approved by NYS Department of Labor? I've never filed before and honestly the whole process seems overwhelming. What are the chances they'll just deny me anyway?
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Sarah Jones
It's really not that hard if you meet the basic requirements. You need to have worked enough hours and earned enough wages in your base period, plus you can't have been fired for misconduct. Since you were laid off, that's actually one of the easier situations to get approved. The NYS Department of Labor will contact your employer to verify the reason for separation, but layoffs are pretty straightforward.
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Drake
•That's reassuring! Do you know how long the whole process usually takes? I'm already worried about next month's rent.
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Sebastian Scott
honestly its not bad at all, filed mine last year and got approved in like 2 weeks. just make sure you file your weekly claims on time and do the job search stuff they require
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Emily Sanjay
The approval process depends on several factors. For straightforward layoffs, most claims are processed within 2-3 weeks. However, if your employer contests the claim or if there are any questions about your work history, it could go into adjudication which takes longer. Make sure you have all your employment documentation ready and be completely honest on your application. The job search requirement is 3 contacts per week starting your second week of benefits.
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Jordan Walker
•What exactly counts as a job contact? I've been applying online but I'm not sure if that's enough or if I need to do something more formal.
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Emily Sanjay
•Online applications definitely count! You just need to keep a record of where you applied, when, and the position. You can also attend job fairs, contact employers directly, or work with career centers. The NYS Department of Labor has a work search record form you should use to track everything.
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Natalie Adams
I was in a similar situation last year and had trouble getting through to NYS Department of Labor on the phone when I had questions about my claim status. The wait times were insane and I kept getting disconnected. I ended up finding this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get through to an actual agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Made the whole process way less stressful when I could actually talk to someone who could check my account.
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Elijah O'Reilly
•Never heard of that but anything that helps with those phone lines sounds worth it. I spent 4 hours on hold last month just to get hung up on.
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Amara Torres
The NYS Department of Labor system is SO broken. They'll find any excuse to deny you or drag out the process. I've been fighting an adjudication for 6 weeks now over something completely ridiculous. They act like they're doing you a favor when it's YOUR money that you paid into the system!
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Sebastian Scott
•what are they adjudicating for 6 weeks?? that seems crazy long
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Amara Torres
•They're questioning whether I was 'available for work' because I mentioned I was taking a certification course. Apparently trying to improve your skills makes you unavailable according to them. It's absolutely ridiculous.
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Elijah O'Reilly
Yeah I got mine approved pretty easily but then screwed up one of my weekly claims and they stopped everything. Had to call and explain what happened but once I did that they fixed it right away. Just be super careful with those weekly certifications.
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