Lost my job due to automation - which type of unemployment qualifies for NYS Department of Labor benefits?
My company just laid off half our manufacturing team because they installed new automated equipment that does what we used to do manually. I've been working there for 8 years and now I'm out of a job because of these machines. I know there are different types of unemployment but I'm confused about which category this falls under for NYS Department of Labor purposes. Does it matter what caused my unemployment when I file my claim? I'm worried this might affect my eligibility somehow. Has anyone else been through this situation with new technology replacing their job?
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Miguel Silva
For NYS Department of Labor claim purposes, what matters is that you were laid off through no fault of your own. The reason behind the layoff (automation, downsizing, etc.) doesn't change your eligibility for unemployment benefits. You'll still file a regular UI claim and follow the same weekly certification process. The economic term for job loss due to technology is 'structural unemployment' but that's not something you need to worry about for your claim.
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Ava Garcia
•Thank you! I was overthinking this. So I just file normally on the NYS Department of Labor website and don't need to mention the automation specifically?
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Zainab Ismail
Same thing happened to me last year at the warehouse. New sorting robots took over our jobs. NYS Department of Labor didn't care why we got laid off, just that we qualified for benefits. Make sure you have your separation notice from HR when you file.
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Connor O'Neill
I was struggling to get through to NYS Department of Labor to ask questions about my claim status after a similar layoff. Someone here recommended Claimyr (claimyr.com) and they actually got me connected to an agent within minutes. There's even a video demo showing how it works: https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI. Saved me hours of calling and getting busy signals.
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QuantumQuester
•Never heard of that service before. Did it actually work or is it just another thing that takes your money?
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Connor O'Neill
•It worked for me. I needed to check on why my adjudication was taking so long and couldn't get through the normal way. Worth trying if you're stuck.
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Yara Nassar
ugh this is happening everywhere now! my friend lost her cashier job because of self checkout machines and another friend got replaced by some AI thing at his office. the whole system is messed up but at least unemployment benefits are the same no matter what stupid reason they give for firing you
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Keisha Williams
Just to clarify - when you file your initial claim, you'll select 'lack of work' as your separation reason. NYS Department of Labor categorizes job losses pretty broadly. Whether it's automation, plant closure, or just regular downsizing, it all falls under involuntary separation which qualifies you for benefits assuming you meet the other requirements.
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Ava Garcia
•Perfect, that makes sense. I was worried there might be some special category I needed to know about.
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Paolo Ricci
This reminds me of when the factory in my hometown closed down in 2019. Different situation but same outcome - a bunch of us suddenly unemployed. The NYS Department of Labor process was actually pretty straightforward once I figured out the website. Don't stress too much about the technical details of why you lost the job.
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