Lost my apartment after NYS Department of Labor delays - how does unemployment cause homelessness?
I'm trying to understand how quickly unemployment can lead to homelessness because it's happening to me right now. Filed my claim with NYS Department of Labor six weeks ago and still stuck in adjudication. My landlord gave me a 14-day notice yesterday and I have nowhere to go. I had $800 in savings when I lost my job at the warehouse but that's gone for groceries and my phone bill. The unemployment benefits would cover my $1200 rent but I can't get anyone at NYS Department of Labor to explain why my claim is taking so long. Is this normal? How do people survive when the system moves this slowly?
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Quinn Herbert
I'm so sorry you're dealing with this. Unfortunately, unemployment and housing instability are closely connected. When people lose their primary income source, rent becomes impossible to pay within just a few weeks. NYS Department of Labor adjudication can take 4-8 weeks, especially if there are any employer disputes about your separation. During this time, most people exhaust their savings quickly. Have you looked into emergency rental assistance programs in your county? Many have expedited processes for unemployment situations.
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Shelby Bauman
•I didn't know about rental assistance programs. Do they require proof of unemployment benefits or just proof that I filed? Because I don't have any payment history yet.
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Salim Nasir
this exact thing happened to my cousin last year!! unemployment took 2 months to approve his claim and he ended up sleeping in his car for 3 weeks. the system is broken when people become homeless just waiting for benefits they already earned
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Shelby Bauman
•That's terrifying. I really hope it doesn't come to that but I'm starting to see how it happens so fast.
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Hazel Garcia
The connection between unemployment and homelessness is unfortunately very direct. Most Americans can't survive more than 2-3 weeks without income, and NYS Department of Labor processing times often exceed that. You need to contact your local Department of Social Services immediately for emergency assistance. Also, try calling NYS Department of Labor daily - I know it's frustrating but sometimes persistence pays off. For faster contact with actual agents, I used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get through to someone at NYS Department of Labor when I couldn't reach them myself. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works.
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Laila Fury
•Never heard of Claimyr but honestly anything is better than sitting on hold for hours just to get disconnected. How much does something like that cost?
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Hazel Garcia
•I don't remember the exact cost but it was worth it to actually speak to someone about my claim status instead of just guessing what was wrong.
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Geoff Richards
THE WHOLE SYSTEM IS DESIGNED TO MAKE PEOPLE HOMELESS!!! They drag out adjudication on purpose hoping you'll just give up and disappear. I've been fighting NYS Department of Labor for 4 months over a disqualification that makes no sense. Lost my apartment, staying with friends now but that won't last forever. They don't care if we end up on the streets as long as they don't have to pay benefits.
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Simon White
•I feel you on the frustration but there are legitimate reasons for adjudication delays. The system isn't perfect but it's not intentionally trying to make people homeless.
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Hugo Kass
You should also look into local food banks and churches that might offer emergency assistance. When I was waiting for my unemployment to process, the Salvation Army helped with a utility bill so I could keep more money for rent. Every little bit helps when you're in survival mode like this.
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