How to register with workforce development for NYS Department of Labor unemployment benefits?
I'm trying to figure out how to register with workforce development services for my unemployment claim. My NYS Department of Labor account shows that I need to complete workforce registration but I can't find clear instructions anywhere. I've been on unemployment for 2 weeks now and I'm worried this might affect my weekly claims if I don't get it done soon. Has anyone gone through this process recently? What exactly do I need to do and where do I go to register?
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Lorenzo McCormick
You need to register with your local One-Stop Career Center which is part of the workforce development system. Go to the NYS Department of Labor website and look for the 'Find a Career Center' tool. You'll need to create an account and complete an employment plan. This is separate from your unemployment claim but required to maintain eligibility.
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Ayla Kumar
•Thanks! Do I have to go in person or can I do this online? I don't have reliable transportation right now.
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Carmella Popescu
most of it can be done online now but you might need to go in for orientation depending on your county. i registered last month and did everything through their website except for one meeting
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Kai Santiago
The workforce registration is mandatory for most UI claimants unless you're on temporary layoff with a specific return date. You'll need to complete skills assessments and meet with a counselor to develop your reemployment plan. Don't delay this - it can hold up your benefits if you don't comply within the required timeframe.
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Lim Wong
•Wait, what if I'm expecting to go back to my old job? Do I still have to do all this workforce stuff? This seems like a lot of work for something temporary.
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Kai Santiago
•If you have a definite recall date within 10 weeks, you may be exempt. But if it's just a 'maybe' or 'when business picks up' situation, you'll need to register and participate in workforce services.
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Dananyl Lear
I had trouble getting through to the career center when I needed to register. The phone lines were always busy and their online system kept crashing. If you're having similar issues reaching them, I found success using Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get connected with NYS Department of Labor agents who could help clarify the workforce requirements. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Made the whole process much less stressful.
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Noah huntAce420
•interesting, never heard of that service before. did it actually help you get registered faster?
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Dananyl Lear
•Yeah, I was able to speak with someone who explained exactly what I needed to do and which career center to contact. Saved me hours of calling around.
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Ana Rusula
The whole workforce registration thing is such a pain. Like we don't have enough to worry about when we're unemployed! I spent THREE HOURS at my local office just to fill out paperwork that could have been done online. The system is broken.
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Noah huntAce420
•I feel you on this. But honestly the job search resources they connected me with were actually pretty helpful once I got through the initial registration headache.
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Ravi Sharma
@Ayla Kumar - I just went through this process last month! You can do most of it online through the NY.gov website. Search for "OSOS" (One Stop Operating System) and create an account there. You'll need to complete your profile, upload your resume, and take some basic skills assessments. The only thing I had to do in person was attend a brief orientation session, but some counties are still doing those virtually. Make sure to do this ASAP - they can put a hold on your benefits if you don't complete it within the required timeframe. The whole online portion took me about 2 hours to complete.
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Ally Tailer
•Thanks for the detailed info @Ravi Sharma! This is super helpful. I've been stressing about this for days. Quick question - when you say "required timeframe" do you know exactly how long we have to complete the workforce registration? I'm at 2 weeks unemployed now and want to make sure I'm not cutting it too close.
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