How high is unemployment rate in NY right now - should I be worried about finding work?
I'm thinking about filing for unemployment benefits but wondering how high is unemployment in New York currently? My company is talking about layoffs and I'm trying to figure out if the job market is going to be brutal. Does anyone know what the current unemployment rate is and how that affects finding work while collecting benefits? I've never been unemployed before so not sure what to expect with the NYS Department of Labor job search requirements if the unemployment rate is really high.
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Amina Diop
The unemployment rate in NY has been fluctuating but it's currently around 4.2% which is actually not terrible compared to national averages. However, that doesn't tell the whole story - it varies a lot by region and industry. The NYS Department of Labor requires you to do 3 job search activities per week regardless of the unemployment rate, so you'll need to keep looking actively. The good news is there are still opportunities out there, especially if you're flexible about location or willing to consider different roles.
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Paolo Moretti
•Thanks, that's actually lower than I expected. Do you know if the job search requirements change if unemployment gets higher? Like do they ease up during recessions?
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Oliver Weber
been on unemployment twice in the past 5 years and honestly the rate doesn't matter as much as you think. what matters is your specific field and how good you are at networking. the nys department of labor job search thing is just paperwork mostly
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Natasha Romanova
•That's not entirely accurate - the NYS Department of Labor does audit job search logs and can disqualify you if you're not meeting requirements properly. The unemployment rate might not change the rules but it definitely affects how competitive the market is.
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NebulaNinja
I've been trying to get through to the NYS Department of Labor for weeks to ask questions about my claim and the phone system is impossible! Does anyone know if there's a way to actually talk to a human being there? The automated system just hangs up on me every time.
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Javier Gomez
•I had the same problem until someone told me about Claimyr - it's a service that helps you get through to NYS Department of Labor agents. Check out claimyr.com and they have a demo video at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI. I was skeptical at first but it actually worked and I got my claim issue resolved within a day instead of waiting weeks.
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NebulaNinja
•Really? That sounds too good to be true but I'm desperate at this point. Did they charge you a lot?
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Javier Gomez
•They focus on getting you connected rather than making it expensive. Way better than calling 200 times and getting nowhere like I was doing before.
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Emma Wilson
The unemployment rate is just a number that doesn't reflect how BROKEN the whole system is!! I've been dealing with NYS Department of Labor adjudication for 2 months and they keep asking for the same documents over and over. The rate could be 1% and their system would still be a nightmare to deal with.
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Malik Thomas
•same here, the adjudication process is ridiculous
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