How long does an unemployment hearing take with NYS Department of Labor?

Most NYS Department of Labor unemployment hearings run between 45 minutes to 2 hours depending on the complexity of your case. Since you have documentation to dispute the misconduct claim, it could be on the longer side if your employer shows up and contests your evidence. I'd block off at least 3 hours to be safe - better to finish early than have to leave in the middle.

mine was only like 20 minutes but that was because my employer didn't show up and I had all my paperwork organized. if both parties are there it definitely takes longer

The hearing length really depends on how prepared everyone is and whether there are disputes over the facts. I've seen simple cases wrap up in 30 minutes when everyone agrees on what happened, but misconduct cases with conflicting stories can easily go 90 minutes or more. The administrative law judge will want to hear testimony from both sides and review all documentation. Make sure you have everything organized and ready to present clearly.

I'm stressed just reading this. I might have to go through this same process soon. How hard is it to get through to someone at NYS Department of Labor to ask questions about the hearing process? I've been trying to call for days.

UGH the whole hearing process is such a nightmare. I went through this last year and it took FOREVER - like 2.5 hours of going back and forth with my old boss who was basically lying through his teeth. The judge kept asking the same questions over and over. At least I won in the end but what a waste of time.

Just wanted to say good luck! The fact that you have documentation puts you in a good position. I won my misconduct appeal too when I had proof that my employer was wrong.

I just went through this process last month and my hearing took about 1.5 hours. Similar situation - employer claimed misconduct but I had evidence showing otherwise. The administrative law judge was thorough and asked detailed questions about the timeline of events. My advice is to practice explaining your side clearly and concisely beforehand. Also, make sure you have physical copies of all your documentation as backup in case there are any technical issues with sharing documents during the hearing. You sound well-prepared with your evidence, which is the most important thing!

I went through a NYS DOL hearing about 6 months ago for a wrongful termination appeal. Mine lasted almost 2 hours because my former employer brought their HR representative and a manager as witnesses. The administrative law judge was very thorough and wanted to hear from everyone involved. Since you mentioned having documentation and witness statements, I'd definitely recommend blocking off at least 2-3 hours like others have suggested. One thing that really helped me was creating a simple timeline document with dates and key events - the judge seemed to appreciate having everything laid out clearly. Also, don't be surprised if they ask you to explain the same incident from different angles. Good luck with your hearing!

I had my NYS DOL hearing about 3 months ago and it ended up being right around 90 minutes. My case was also a misconduct dispute where I had documentation to back up my side. The judge was very methodical - they went through each piece of evidence carefully and asked follow-up questions. What really helped was having everything clearly labeled and organized beforehand. I also made sure to stay calm and stick to the facts, even when my former employer made some pretty outrageous claims. The whole process was less intimidating than I expected, honestly. Since you have your documentation ready and witness statements, you're already ahead of the game. I'd echo what others said about blocking off 2-3 hours just to be safe, but don't stress too much about the length - focus on presenting your case clearly and you should do fine.