How will you explain the term unemployment to NYS Department of Labor during phone interview?
I have a phone interview scheduled with NYS Department of Labor next week about my unemployment claim and I'm worried they might ask me to explain what unemployment means or how I understand it. This is my first time filing for UI benefits and I don't want to say something wrong that could hurt my claim. Should I prepare a specific definition? I was laid off from my retail job in December and have been looking for work since then but I'm nervous about the interview process. Has anyone been through this type of questioning before?
9 comments
Join the conversation
Charity Cohan
NYS Department of Labor phone interviews usually focus more on your specific work history and the circumstances of your job separation rather than asking you to define unemployment itself. They'll want to verify details about your last employer, how you lost your job, and whether you're actively seeking work. Just be honest about your situation - you were laid off and are actively looking for new employment.
0 coins
Jean Claude
•That makes me feel better. I was overthinking it and imagining they'd quiz me on technical definitions. I'll focus on preparing the facts about my layoff instead.
0 coins
Josef Tearle
Been through several of these interviews over the years. They might ask about your understanding of the work search requirements but not really the definition of unemployment. Make sure you know how many jobs you need to apply for each week and keep good records of your job search activities in case they ask for specifics.
0 coins
Jean Claude
•Good point about the work search requirements. I've been applying to jobs but wasn't keeping detailed records. I should start tracking that better.
0 coins
Shelby Bauman
If you're having trouble getting through to NYS Department of Labor for any follow-up questions after your interview, I found this service called Claimyr that helped me reach an agent when I needed clarification on my claim status. You can check it out at claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Really useful when you can't get through the regular phone lines.
0 coins
Quinn Herbert
dont overthink it too much!!! i had the same worry but they just asked basic stuff about my job and why i lost it. as long as your not lying about anything you should be fine. the whole process is pretty straightforward once you get through it
0 coins
Salim Nasir
The NYS Department of Labor system is designed to trip people up with these interviews. They act like they're just verifying information but they're really looking for reasons to deny your claim. I've seen people get disqualified for the smallest inconsistencies in their stories. Make sure every detail matches exactly what you put on your application.
0 coins
Charity Cohan
•While it's true you should be consistent with your application details, most NYS Department of Labor staff are just doing their job to verify eligibility. Being prepared and honest is the best approach rather than assuming they're trying to trick you.
0 coins
Hazel Garcia
same here with the phone interview anxiety! mine is next week too and im worried about saying the wrong thing. at least we're both going through this together lol. let me know how yours goes
0 coins