Lost my job after NYS minimum wage increase - does this affect my unemployment benefits?
My employer let me go last month citing budget cuts right after the minimum wage went up in our area. I'm wondering if this impacts my NYS Department of Labor claim in any way? I filed my initial claim but I'm concerned they might see this as somehow my fault or deny benefits because of the wage increase timing. Has anyone else been laid off due to minimum wage changes and still gotten approved for UI? I really need these benefits while I look for work.
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Diego Chavez
Your employer's reason for letting you go doesn't affect your eligibility as long as you weren't terminated for misconduct. Budget cuts due to wage increases would be considered a business decision, not misconduct on your part. NYS Department of Labor looks at whether you were separated through no fault of your own, and this definitely qualifies.
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Chloe Robinson
•Thank you, that's really reassuring. I was worried they'd somehow blame me for the wage increase.
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NeonNebula
yeah this happened to my coworker too, she got benefits no problem. the nys department of labor doesn't care why your boss laid you off unless you did something wrong
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Anastasia Kozlov
You should be fine, but make sure you're doing your weekly claims correctly and keeping up with job search requirements. If you get stuck trying to reach someone at NYS Department of Labor about your claim status, I had good luck using Claimyr (claimyr.com) - they help you get through to an actual agent when the phone lines are jammed. There's a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works.
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Chloe Robinson
•Thanks for the tip! I haven't had issues yet but good to know there's a backup if I can't get through.
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Sean Kelly
This whole minimum wage thing is such a disaster. Businesses can't afford to keep people and then we all end up on unemployment. The system is broken!
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Zara Mirza
•Hey now, let's keep this focused on helping with the UI claim rather than politics.
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Zara Mirza
Just keep filing your weekly claims and document your job search. The reason for separation won't hurt your benefits as long as you meet all the other requirements.
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