Is reemployment the same as unemployment benefits in NYS? Confused about terminology
I'm getting really confused by all the different terms the NYS Department of Labor uses. I keep seeing 'reemployment services' and 'unemployment insurance' on their website and in letters I've received. Are these the same thing? I filed my initial claim two weeks ago and I'm supposed to attend some kind of reemployment orientation next week but I don't understand if this is separate from my regular unemployment benefits or what. The letter mentions both terms like they're different but I thought unemployment and reemployment were just different ways of saying the same thing? Can someone explain what the difference is because I don't want to mess up my claim by missing something important.
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Mateusius Townsend
No, they're not the same thing! Unemployment Insurance (UI) is the weekly money you get while you're looking for work. Reemployment services are the job search assistance programs that NYS Department of Labor requires you to participate in to keep getting those benefits. Think of reemployment services as the 'strings attached' to your unemployment benefits - things like job search workshops, resume help, and career counseling.
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Demi Hall
•Oh that makes so much more sense! So I still get my weekly benefits but I have to do the reemployment stuff too? The orientation is mandatory then?
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Kara Yoshida
yeah basically unemployment = money, reemployment = work search stuff they make you do. dont skip the orientation or they'll cut your benefits off
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Philip Cowan
The terminology is definitely confusing at first. Reemployment Services include things like the Workforce1 Career Centers, job matching services, and various training programs. These are designed to help you find work faster. The NYS Department of Labor tracks your participation and if you don't comply with reemployment requirements, it can affect your benefit eligibility. Make sure you attend that orientation - it's usually where they explain your specific job search requirements.
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Caesar Grant
•This whole system is so unnecessarily complicated! Why can't they just call it what it is instead of using fancy terms that confuse everyone? I spent weeks thinking I was supposed to choose between unemployment OR reemployment services.
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Philip Cowan
•I know it's frustrating, but once you understand the system it does make sense. The reemployment focus is actually meant to help people get back to work faster rather than just collecting benefits indefinitely.
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Lena Schultz
I was in the same boat last month! Super confusing at first. I actually had trouble getting through to NYS Department of Labor to ask about this exact question because their phone lines are always busy. I ended up using this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get connected to an actual agent who explained everything. They have a video demo showing how it works at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI. Really helped me understand what I needed to do for both the benefits and the reemployment requirements.
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Demi Hall
•Thanks! I might check that out if I have more questions after the orientation. The phone situation is ridiculous - I've been trying to call for days.
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Gemma Andrews
Just to add - some people confuse reemployment services with Reemployment Assistance Programs (which is what they call unemployment in other states). In New York, we have Unemployment Insurance benefits AND separate reemployment services requirements. Both are administered through NYS Department of Labor but they serve different purposes in getting you back to work.
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Nora Brooks
This is exactly why I joined this community - the NYS DOL website makes it sound like you need a PhD to understand basic unemployment benefits! I'm going through the same process right now and what helped me was thinking of it this way: unemployment insurance = your weekly check, reemployment services = the hoops you jump through to keep getting that check. The orientation will probably explain your specific work search requirements (like how many jobs you need to apply for each week) and what resources are available. Don't stress too much about the terminology - just show up to everything they tell you to attend and you'll be fine!
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