How to get unemployment if I quit my job in NY - is it possible?
I had to quit my job last month because my supervisor was making the workplace completely toxic and I couldn't handle it anymore. Now I'm struggling to pay rent and wondering if there's any way to get unemployment benefits even though I quit instead of being laid off. I know usually you can't get benefits if you quit but I've heard there might be exceptions? Has anyone successfully gotten NYS Department of Labor benefits after quitting? What do I need to prove?
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Ryder Ross
Yes, you can potentially get unemployment benefits even if you quit, but you need to prove you had 'good cause' for leaving. NYS Department of Labor considers things like unsafe working conditions, harassment, discrimination, or significant changes to your job duties as valid reasons. You'll need to document everything - emails, witness statements, any complaints you filed with HR. When you file your claim, be very detailed about why you had to quit.
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Kyle Wallace
•Thank you! I do have some emails where my supervisor was being really inappropriate. Should I submit those when I file my initial claim or wait until they ask for them?
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Gianni Serpent
File your claim right away and include all your documentation upfront. NYS Department of Labor will put your claim into adjudication to review whether your reason for quitting qualifies as good cause. This process can take several weeks, but if they approve it, you'll get benefits backdated to when you first filed. Make sure you keep filing your weekly claims even during adjudication.
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Henry Delgado
•This is exactly what happened to me. Took about 3 weeks for them to approve my claim after I quit due to harassment. Just make sure you have everything documented.
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Olivia Kay
omg i tried calling NYS Department of Labor like 50 times to ask about this same thing and could never get through!! the phone system is terrible, it just hangs up on you after being on hold forever. so frustrating when you need answers
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Joshua Hellan
•I had the same problem trying to reach someone at NYS Department of Labor about my claim status. Someone on here mentioned using Claimyr (claimyr.com) to help get through to an actual agent. I watched their demo video (https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI) and decided to try it. Actually got connected to a real person at NYS Department of Labor within a few hours and got my questions answered. Might be worth checking out if you're stuck trying to reach them.
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Jibriel Kohn
just so you know the whole system is designed to deny people benefits whenever possible. even if you have a legitimate reason for quitting they'll probably try to find some technicality to reject your claim. i quit because of unsafe conditions and they still made me jump through hoops for months
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Ryder Ross
•While the process can be challenging, don't get discouraged. If you have legitimate documentation of good cause, NYS Department of Labor is required to approve your claim. If they deny it initially, you can always appeal the decision.
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Edison Estevez
wait can you get unemployment for quitting?? I thought that was impossible. I've been staying at my terrible job because I thought I wouldn't qualify for benefits if I left
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