How is unemployment measured - confused about NYS Department of Labor statistics vs my claim status
I keep seeing different unemployment numbers in the news and I'm trying to understand how my personal situation fits into the bigger picture. My claim has been in adjudication for 6 weeks now and I'm wondering - when they calculate unemployment rates, do they count people like me who are waiting for benefits approval? I'm definitely unemployed but technically not receiving benefits yet. Does NYS Department of Labor report these differently? I'm just trying to understand if being in limbo like this affects the statistics somehow.
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Amina Toure
The unemployment rate is measured through household surveys, not through NYS Department of Labor claim data. You'd be counted as unemployed in the statistics as long as you're actively looking for work, regardless of whether your claim is approved or still in adjudication. The Bureau of Labor Statistics does the monthly surveys and your benefit status doesn't affect whether you're counted.
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Paolo Ricci
•That makes sense, so the statistics and the actual benefit payments are tracked completely separately. Thanks for clarifying that!
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Oliver Zimmermann
yeah im in the same boat, been waiting 5 weeks for my adjudication to clear. super frustrating when you see these unemployment numbers but youre not actually getting any money yet
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Natasha Volkova
•Have you tried calling? I know it's nearly impossible to get through but sometimes they can at least tell you what's holding up your claim.
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Javier Torres
If you're having trouble reaching NYS Department of Labor about your adjudication status, I had success using a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com). They help you get through to an actual agent instead of sitting on hold forever. There's a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. After 6 weeks you definitely deserve some answers about what's causing the delay.
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Paolo Ricci
•I'll check that out, thanks. At this point I just need to know if there's something specific I need to do or if it's just a waiting game.
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Emma Davis
The NYS Department of Labor definitely doesn't use their own claim data for unemployment statistics - that would be way too skewed since not everyone who's unemployed files for benefits. Some people don't qualify, others don't bother applying. The household survey method gives a more accurate picture of actual unemployment levels.
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CosmicCaptain
6 weeks is ridiculous for adjudication though. Something must be flagged in your file that needs manual review.
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