How to fill out unemployment claim properly - NYS Department of Labor first-time filer confused

Yes, you definitely need to list ALL employers from the past 18 months, even that 6-week part-time job. NYS Department of Labor uses this information to calculate your benefit amount. For the separation reason, if your position was eliminated due to budget cuts, that would typically be "lack of work" or "layoff" - NOT resignation. Make sure you have your Social Security card, driver's license, and employment information (dates, addresses, supervisor names) ready before you start. The system times out if you take too long.

The most important thing is being accurate with your employment dates and wages. NYS Department of Labor will verify everything with your employers anyway, so don't guess. If you worked January 15 to March 3, put exactly that - not "January to March." For the wage section, use your gross pay before taxes. And when they ask about your availability to work, make sure you answer that you're able and available for full-time work unless you have specific restrictions.

honestly the whole nys labor website is a mess, took me forever to figure out where everything was supposed to go. just make sure you save screenshots of everything you submit because sometimes their system glitches and you lose all your work

I had a nightmare trying to reach someone at NYS Department of Labor when I had questions about my claim. Their phone lines are always busy and the callback system rarely works. I ended up using this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that actually got me through to a real person at the unemployment office. They have a video demo showing how it works (https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI) and it was way easier than spending hours on hold. Might be worth checking out if you run into issues with your claim.

Don't forget you'll need to file weekly claims once your initial application is processed! That's a whole separate thing you have to do every week to actually get paid. And start keeping a job search log immediately because NYS Department of Labor requires you to be actively looking for work.

I just went through this process last month and wanted to add a few tips that really helped me. First, have your W-2s and final pay stubs ready - they'll ask for specific wage information and it's way easier if you have the documents in front of you. Second, when you get to the "reason for separation" section, there's usually a dropdown menu with options like "lack of work," "layoff," "discharged," etc. Since your position was eliminated due to budget cuts, "lack of work" is typically the right choice. Also, don't stress too much about being perfect - you can always call to correct minor mistakes, and they'll contact you if they need clarification on anything. The key is just being honest and thorough. Good luck with your claim!