How to handle unemployment claim complications with NYS Department of Labor?
I'm really struggling with how to handle unemployment after losing my retail management job last month. I filed my initial claim through my.ny.gov but I'm completely lost on what comes next. The weekly certification process seems confusing and I'm worried about messing something up. I've never had to deal with the NYS Department of Labor before and honestly don't know what I'm supposed to be doing for job search requirements or how often I need to certify. Can someone walk me through the basics of handling all this properly?
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Amina Diallo
The weekly certification is key - you need to file every week even if you haven't received your first payment yet. Log into my.ny.gov every Sunday through the following Saturday to certify for the previous week. For job search, you need to make at least 3 work search contacts per week and keep detailed records. The NYS Department of Labor can audit your job search log at any time, so document everything including company names, dates, and contact methods.
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Paolo Conti
•Thank you! Should I be documenting online applications too or just in-person contacts?
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Oliver Schulz
Don't stress too much about it. I just file my weekly claims online and apply to a few jobs each week. The NYS Department of Labor system will tell you if you're doing something wrong. Make sure you report any work or income honestly - that's the main thing that can get you in trouble.
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Natasha Kuznetsova
•Actually you should be more careful than that. I got hit with an overpayment notice because I didn't understand the work search requirements properly.
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AstroAdventurer
I had so much trouble getting through to the NYS Department of Labor when I had questions about my claim status. Spent hours on hold just to get disconnected. Finally used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get connected to an actual agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Saved me so much frustration trying to reach someone about my adjudication issues.
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Javier Mendoza
•How much does something like that cost? I'm already struggling financially.
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AstroAdventurer
•It was worth it for me since I couldn't get through any other way. Much better than wasting days trying to call.
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Emma Wilson
The whole system is a nightmare. I've been dealing with NYS Department of Labor for months and they make everything unnecessarily complicated. Half the time their website doesn't work properly and when you finally get someone on the phone they give you different answers than the last person you talked to.
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Malik Davis
same boat here, filed 2 weeks ago and still waiting for my first payment
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