NY unemployment requirements during high covid cases - scared to return to work

Unfortunately, current NY unemployment rules don't consider general COVID concerns a valid reason to refuse suitable work. You need specific, documented health conditions or a doctor's note advising against return. The "COVID-related reasons" provisions expired in December 2024. If you refuse to return, your employer will likely report it and your benefits could stop immediately.

yup same boat. my boss wants us back even tho 3 ppl in our office got sick last week!!! system is rigged against workers as usual

I work as an employment counselor, and while I understand your concerns, refusing work without a very specific reason will likely result in benefit termination. Here are your options: 1. Request reasonable accommodation from your employer if you have a documented medical condition 2. If your elderly parent has a doctor-documented condition requiring your care, you might qualify for family caregiver provisions 3. Ask about hybrid or remote options if your job allows it 4. If your workplace isn't following current NY Department of Health safety guidelines, document this carefully The key is documentation and specific circumstances, not general COVID concerns.

I think its crazy we're still dealing with this in 2025! The govt keeps saying everythings fine but then why are hospitals filling up again? My neighbor works at a testing center and said numbers are WAY higher than reported.

I was in your exact situation last month. Called NYSDOL about 40 times trying to get answers about my options. Couldn't get through until I found this service called Claimyr that got me connected to an agent in 15 minutes instead of waiting on hold forever. The agent explained that I needed specific documentation from my doctor showing why I personally couldn't return safely. Just having an at-risk family member wasn't enough unfortunately. If you need to speak with someone at unemployment to discuss your specific situation, check out their demo at https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE - it saved me days of frustration trying to get through the phone system.

The current rules are terrible, but here's what I learned the hard way: if you refuse to return, your employer will report it as a "refusal of suitable work" and your benefits will stop immediately. Then you'll have to appeal, which takes FOREVER, and you'll have no income while waiting. What worked for me was getting my doctor to write a detailed letter about my specific health risks, then requesting accommodation under ADA. My employer had to at least consider alternatives before forcing me back. Document EVERYTHING in writing - verbal conversations don't count if you need to appeal later!

this governor dont care about regular ppl at ALL!!! my cousin works at the DOL and says theyre pushing everyone off benefits before the election. all about making unemployment numbers look good.

I just got off the phone with my HR department and they said they can't make any accommodations without a specific ADA request! This is so frustrating. Has anyone successfully gotten continued benefits after refusing to return? I'm really scared about making the wrong move here.

My brother got fired for not going back and unemployment denied him even tho his wife was pregnant and high risk. system is broken man

My sisters neighbor works at unemployment and said theyre getting tons of calls about this same issue! Apparently theres some new form you can fill out but I forgot what its called lol

Update on my situation - I went back to work yesterday and it was honestly a nightmare. No masks, people coughing, windows closed. I documented everything and took pictures. Going to my doctor tomorrow to see if I can get a note saying this environment is unsafe with my asthma. Will update on whether it works for unemployment purposes.

After reading through this thread, I want to clarify a few important points about NY unemployment and work refusal in 2025: 1. General COVID concerns are not considered good cause to refuse work under current regulations 2. However, specific, documented health conditions that make a particular workplace unsafe for YOU may qualify for accommodation 3. The process is: - Get medical documentation of your specific health concerns - Request formal accommodation from employer through ADA process - If accommodation is unreasonably denied, THEN you may have grounds to refuse while preserving benefits - Document all communications in writing 4. If you refuse work without following this process, benefits will likely be cut off immediately 5. Appeals are possible but can take 8-12 weeks during which you'll receive no benefits Don't make decisions based on what worked in 2020-2022 - the rules have changed significantly.