NYS Department of Labor claim approved but worried about gaps between jobs affecting future claims
I just got approved for unemployment benefits after being laid off from my marketing job last month. This is actually my third time filing in the past 3 years because I keep having to switch jobs - not by choice, but companies keep downsizing or my contracts end. I'm worried that NYS Department of Labor might think I'm job hopping too much and deny future claims. Does anyone know if there's a limit to how many times you can file for unemployment? I've always been honest about my work search and reported everything correctly, but the pattern of moving between jobs makes me nervous about my eligibility going forward.
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Natasha Volkova
You're overthinking this. NYS Department of Labor doesn't penalize you for filing multiple claims as long as each job loss was through no fault of your own. What matters is that you meet the base period earnings requirements and that you didn't quit or get fired for misconduct. Job market instability is real and they understand that.
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CosmicCommander
•Thanks, that's reassuring. I was worried they'd see a pattern and assume I was doing something wrong.
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Javier Torres
I've filed for unemployment 4 times in the past 6 years due to company closures and contract work ending. Never had an issue with NYS Department of Labor as long as the separations were involuntary. They actually expect some people to have multiple claims, especially in industries like tech, marketing, and consulting where layoffs are common. Just make sure you're documenting your job search properly each time.
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Emma Davis
•Same here, been through this cycle multiple times. The gig economy makes this super normal now.
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Malik Johnson
Wait, I thought there was some kind of limit? I heard you can only collect unemployment for a certain number of weeks total over time. Is that not true for NYS Department of Labor?
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Natasha Volkova
•You're confusing different rules. There's a limit on how many weeks you can collect in a single benefit year (26 weeks), but no lifetime limit on how many separate claims you can file.
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Isabella Ferreira
I had trouble reaching NYS Department of Labor when I had questions about my claim history. Spent hours on hold. Finally used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me through to an actual agent in like 10 minutes. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Might be worth checking out if you need to talk to someone about your specific situation.
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CosmicCommander
•How much does that cost? I'm already tight on money waiting for my first payment.
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Isabella Ferreira
•They focus more on the value of actually getting through rather than the cost. Way less frustrating than calling myself over and over.
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Ravi Sharma
honestly the whole system is set up for people to bounce between jobs now, its not like our parents generation where you stayed at one company forever. dont stress about it
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NebulaNomad
•Exactly! The unemployment system had to adapt to modern work patterns.
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