How often does walmart fight unemployment claims - NYS Department of Labor experience?
I got terminated from Walmart last month for attendance issues (called out 3 times in 6 weeks due to car problems) and filed for unemployment benefits with NYS Department of Labor. My claim has been in adjudication for 2 weeks now and I'm wondering if this is normal when former employers contest claims. Has anyone here dealt with Walmart specifically fighting their unemployment claim? Do big retailers like this usually challenge every claim or just certain types of terminations? I'm getting really anxious because I need these benefits to cover rent while job searching.
12 comments

Sasha Reese
Large retailers like Walmart typically contest unemployment claims when they involve attendance or policy violations. The NYS Department of Labor adjudication process can take 2-4 weeks when there's employer pushback. They'll review your employment records, termination documentation, and any evidence both sides provide. Since you mentioned attendance issues, they're likely arguing it was misconduct which could disqualify you from benefits.
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Christian Burns
AuthorSo does that mean I'm probably going to get denied? The attendance policy seemed really strict - like missing 3 days in 2 months was enough for termination.
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Muhammad Hobbs
Walmart fought my claim too when I got fired for tardiness last year. The adjudication took forever - almost 4 weeks. But I ended up winning because I could prove the tardiness was due to a medical condition. The key is having documentation for your car problems if you have any repair receipts or anything like that.
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Christian Burns
AuthorI do have some receipts from the mechanic! Should I upload those to my NYS Department of Labor account somehow?
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Noland Curtis
From what I've seen, major employers like Walmart contest probably 60-70% of unemployment claims, especially for attendance-related terminations. They have HR departments that automatically challenge most claims to reduce their unemployment tax burden. The good news is that if you can demonstrate the absences were beyond your control (like legitimate car trouble), you may still qualify for benefits even with attendance issues.
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Diez Ellis
I've been trying to reach someone at NYS Department of Labor for weeks about my adjudication status but can never get through on the phone. If you're in the same boat and need to check on your claim or provide additional documentation, I recently discovered this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helps you actually connect with agents. They have a demo video at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Might be worth checking out if you need to speak with someone about your Walmart situation.
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Christian Burns
AuthorThanks! I'll look into that. The phone system is absolutely impossible to navigate.
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Vanessa Figueroa
WALMART FIGHTS EVERYTHING!!! They contested my claim even though I quit for a hostile work environment. These big corporations have teams of lawyers just to deny people benefits. It's disgusting honestly. The whole system is rigged in favor of employers.
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Abby Marshall
My brother got fired from Walmart for the same thing - attendance. His claim was approved after like 3 weeks of adjudication. Just hang in there.
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Sadie Benitez
I worked at Target not Walmart but similar situation. They contested my claim but I won because I had medical documentation. The NYS Department of Labor adjudicator was actually pretty fair once they reviewed all the evidence. Make sure you submit any documentation you have through your online account.
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Christian Burns
AuthorGood to know there's hope! I'll gather up all my repair receipts and submit them.
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Gemma Andrews
I used to work in HR at a large retail chain and can confirm that most big box stores like Walmart have automated systems that flag and contest unemployment claims, especially for attendance-related terminations. However, the NYS Department of Labor looks at whether the absences were due to circumstances beyond your control. Car trouble with documentation is often considered a valid reason. Make sure to provide any repair receipts, towing bills, or mechanic statements you have. The adjudication process typically takes 2-4 weeks, so you're still within the normal timeframe. Don't lose hope - I've seen plenty of cases where employees won even when the employer contested.
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