Is technology creating unemployment - worried about my NYS Department of Labor claim after automation layoffs
I got laid off from my manufacturing job last month because they brought in these new automated machines that basically do what me and 6 other people used to do. Filed for NYS Department of Labor unemployment benefits but I'm really stressed about the whole situation. During my phone interview they kept asking about why I was let go and if I could have prevented it somehow. Like what was I supposed to do, sabotage the robots? Anyone else dealing with this kind of situation? I'm worried they might think I wasn't doing my job properly or something. The adjudication has been going on for 2 weeks now and I have no idea what's happening with my claim.
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Madison King
Technology displacement is considered involuntary separation by NYS Department of Labor, so you should be eligible for benefits as long as you meet the other requirements. The adjudication delay is probably just them verifying the details with your employer, not questioning whether you're eligible. Make sure you keep filing your weekly claims even during adjudication - you can get backpay if approved.
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Vanessa Chang
•Thanks that makes me feel better. I have been doing my weekly claims but wasn't sure if I should keep doing job searches since I don't know if I'm approved yet.
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Julian Paolo
Same thing happened to me at my warehouse job! They brought in these picking robots and laid off like 20 people. NYS Department of Labor didn't give me any problems, got approved in about 3 weeks. The key is making sure your employer reports it correctly as a layoff due to business reasons, not performance issues.
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Ella Knight
This is happening EVERYWHERE and its only getting worse!! Companies are just replacing workers with machines and AI and the government doesn't care. My friend got replaced by some computer program that does data entry. At least you can get unemployment benefits but what happens when EVERYONE gets replaced?
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William Schwarz
•I understand the frustration, but let's focus on helping with the immediate UI claim issue. @OP, you might want to contact NYS Department of Labor directly if your adjudication goes over 21 days. I had luck using a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get through to an actual agent when I was stuck in adjudication hell. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that explains how it works.
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Lauren Johnson
wait so if you get laid off because of automation that's different than if you get fired for cause right?? I'm confused about all these different types of unemployment situations
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Madison King
•Correct! Layoffs due to technology/automation are considered involuntary separations through no fault of your own. This is different from being fired for misconduct or poor performance, which could disqualify you from benefits.
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Jade Santiago
Two weeks in adjudication isn't that unusual unfortunately. I've seen people wait 4-6 weeks especially when there's any kind of separation that needs verification. The important thing is that you keep doing everything NYS Department of Labor requires - weekly claims, job search activities, being available for work. Document everything in case you need to appeal later.
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