How long do unemployment hearings last with NYS Department of Labor - need to plan time off work
I have an unemployment hearing scheduled with NYS Department of Labor next month and I'm trying to figure out how much time to request off from my current part-time job. The notice doesn't say how long these things typically run. I'm appealing a disqualification from my previous claim and honestly have no idea what to expect. Should I plan for a couple hours or could this take all day? Really don't want to mess up my current work schedule but also can't afford to lose this appeal.
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Lily Young
Most NYS Department of Labor unemployment hearings last between 30 minutes to 2 hours depending on complexity. Simple cases like yours with a disqualification appeal are usually on the shorter side. The administrative law judge will review your case, hear testimony from you and your former employer if they show up, and ask questions. I'd plan for about 90 minutes to be safe, but it could be done in 45 minutes if everything is straightforward.
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Marcus Williams
•That's really helpful, thank you! Do they usually run on time or should I expect delays?
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Kennedy Morrison
Mine lasted exactly 47 minutes last year. The judge was very efficient and had clearly reviewed everything beforehand. My employer didn't even show up which helped speed things along. Just make sure you have all your documentation organized and can speak clearly about why you disagree with the disqualification.
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Marcus Williams
•Did you win your appeal? I'm so nervous about this whole process.
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Kennedy Morrison
•Yes I did! Key was having my documentation ready and staying calm. You'll do fine.
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Wesley Hallow
honestly these things are such a pain... mine was supposed to be at 10am but didnt start until almost 11:30 because they were running behind. then it went for like 2.5 hours because my old boss showed up with a lawyer and made it complicated. id plan for half a day just in case
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Justin Chang
If you're having trouble getting through to NYS Department of Labor to ask about your specific hearing details, I used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me reach an actual agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Was really helpful when I needed to clarify some hearing procedures before my appeal.
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Grace Thomas
•Interesting, never heard of that before. Did it actually work for you?
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Justin Chang
•Yeah it did! Saved me hours of trying to call and getting busy signals.
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Hunter Brighton
just went through this whole mess myself and honestly the hearing was the easy part compared to dealing with the NYS Department of Labor phone system for months beforehand!! but yeah mine was about an hour and fifteen minutes. bring water because those conference rooms get stuffy
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Lucas Lindsey
I had my NYS DOL hearing about 6 months ago and it lasted right around an hour. The judge was pretty thorough but fair - they asked me to explain my side of the story, reviewed the documents I brought, and then asked a few follow-up questions. My former employer called in by phone which added maybe 15 minutes to the whole thing. I'd suggest blocking out 2 hours just to be safe with potential delays, but the actual hearing will probably be closer to 60-90 minutes. Make sure you have copies of any relevant emails, pay stubs, or documentation that supports your case. Good luck with your appeal!
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