Is it hard to get unemployment benefits through NYS Department of Labor?

The application itself isn't hard - it's pretty straightforward on the my.ny.gov website. The tricky part is making sure you meet all the requirements. You need to have worked enough hours in your base period and lost your job through no fault of your own. If you were laid off (not fired for cause), you should definitely apply. The worst they can say is no, but you might be surprised. Just make sure you file your weekly claims on time and keep up with the job search requirements.

honestly the hardest part is getting through to someone at NYS Department of Labor when you have questions. The automated system is okay but if something goes wrong with your claim you're gonna be calling for hours. I spent 3 weeks trying to get my adjudication issue resolved because I couldn't reach anyone. Finally used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that gets you through to actual agents. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Saved me so much frustration.

The system is designed to discourage people from applying. They make you jump through hoops, the website crashes constantly, and half the time your claim gets stuck in 'adjudication' for weeks with no explanation. I've been fighting with them for 2 months over a simple job separation issue. It's absolutely ridiculous how they treat people who are already struggling.

It's really not that bad if you have a straightforward case. I got laid off from my office job in January and was approved within a week. The key is having all your employment information ready when you apply - dates, employer info, reason for separation. As long as you're eligible and file everything correctly, it should go smoothly. The problems usually happen when there are complications with your work history or the reason you left your job.

depends on your situation really. if you quit or got fired it can be a lot harder. but if you were laid off through no fault of your own you should be fine. just apply and see what happens. the worst part is probably the job search requirements - you have to apply to 3 jobs per week and keep detailed records. but the money helps a lot when you're between jobs.

I filed for unemployment in NY last month after getting laid off from my warehouse job and it was actually pretty smooth. The online application took about 30 minutes and I had my first payment within 10 days. The key things that helped me were: 1) having my last 18 months of pay stubs organized, 2) knowing my exact last day of work and reason for separation, and 3) setting up direct deposit right away. The weekly certifications are easy once you get into the routine. Don't let the horror stories scare you - if you were legitimately laid off, you should definitely apply. The benefits really helped bridge the gap while I found my next job.

I went through this process earlier this year and honestly, it's somewhere in between the horror stories and the success stories. The initial application is pretty straightforward - took me about 45 minutes to complete online. The real challenge comes if you hit any snags along the way. In my case, there was a small discrepancy with one of my previous employer's records that triggered a review, and that added about 3 weeks to the process. My advice: apply as soon as possible since there's a waiting week anyway, gather ALL your employment documentation beforehand (not just recent stuff), and be super accurate with dates and details. Since you were laid off from retail, you should qualify as long as you worked enough hours. The job search requirement isn't too bad - 3 applications per week with basic documentation. Even if it takes longer than expected, the retroactive payments make it worth the effort.