How to deny unemployment claim - got disqualified and want to know what happened
My unemployment claim just got denied by NYS Department of Labor and I'm completely confused about what went wrong. I filed 6 weeks ago after being laid off from my retail job and everything seemed fine at first. I was getting my weekly claims approved and then suddenly last week I got a notice saying my claim was disqualified. The letter mentioned something about 'separation issues' but didn't really explain what that means. I thought being laid off meant I would automatically qualify. Has anyone else had their claim denied after initially being approved? What does this separation issue thing mean and can I fix it somehow?
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Miguel Castro
A denial after initial approval usually means NYS Department of Labor found new information during their investigation. 'Separation issues' typically refers to the reason you left your job. Even if you said you were laid off, your employer might have reported it differently - like you quit or were fired for misconduct. You should have received a determination letter explaining the specific reason. Check your my.ny.gov account for the full details.
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Ava Martinez
•I did get a determination letter but it's really confusing. It says something about 'voluntary quit without good cause' but I definitely didn't quit. My manager told me they were eliminating my position due to budget cuts.
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Zainab Abdulrahman
This happened to me too! Your employer probably disputed your claim and told NYS Department of Labor you quit instead of being laid off. Companies do this to avoid their unemployment tax going up. You need to appeal this determination ASAP - you only have 30 days from the date on the letter. Gather any documentation you have about the layoff like emails, texts, or witness statements from coworkers.
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Ava Martinez
•Oh wow I never thought about that. I do have the email from HR about the layoff. How do I file an appeal with NYS Department of Labor?
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Zainab Abdulrahman
•You can file the appeal online through your my.ny.gov account or mail in the form that came with your determination letter. Make sure to include all your evidence and write a clear explanation of what really happened.
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Connor Byrne
ugh the system is so messed up!! employers lie all the time to avoid paying unemployment and NYS Department of Labor just believes them without investigating properly. I went through this same bs last year and it took MONTHS to get it sorted out. Even when I won my appeal they made me pay back some of the benefits I already received. it's like they're trying to make it as difficult as possible for people who actually deserve help.
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Yara Elias
•That's so frustrating! Did you end up getting all your benefits eventually?
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QuantumQuasar
If you're having trouble reaching someone at NYS Department of Labor to discuss your case, I had good luck using Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through to an actual agent. They handle the calling and waiting for you, which saved me hours of being on hold. There's a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. It was really helpful for getting clarification on my disqualification before I filed my appeal.
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Ava Martinez
•Thanks, I'll check that out. I've been trying to call for days but can never get through.
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Keisha Jackson
same thing happened to my friend except it turned out she accidentally said something wrong when she filed that made it sound like she quit voluntarily. The good news is that if you have proof you were laid off the appeal process usually works in your favor. just make sure you meet that 30 day deadline!
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