NYS Department of Labor claim denied - confused about which of the following best describes locational unemployment issue
Got a weird question on my NYS Department of Labor weekly claim certification yesterday asking 'which of the following best describes locational unemployment' and I had no idea what that meant. I answered honestly but now I'm worried I messed up my certification. My claim got flagged for adjudication and I'm freaking out. Has anyone else seen this question before? I've been filing weekly claims for 6 weeks and this was the first time I saw it. I work in retail and lost my job when the store closed, so I don't understand why they're asking about location stuff. Did I accidentally disqualify myself?
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Ruby Blake
Locational unemployment refers to when people can't find work because there aren't jobs available in their specific geographic area, even though jobs might exist elsewhere. The NYS Department of Labor sometimes asks about this to determine if you're genuinely unable to find work locally versus being unwilling to commute or relocate. It's usually related to job search requirements - they want to know if you're limiting your search area too much.
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Miles Hammonds
•Oh that makes more sense! I was searching within 30 miles of my house like the job search log requires. Should I have said I was willing to go further?
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Micah Franklin
ugh i hate those tricky questions on the weekly certification!! i always worry im gonna click the wrong thing and mess up my benefits. what were the answer choices?
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Miles Hammonds
•I can't remember exactly but it was something like willing to relocate, only looking locally, transportation issues, or skills mismatch. I picked only looking locally because I can't afford to move right now.
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Ella Harper
You probably didn't disqualify yourself. The NYS Department of Labor uses these questions to assess whether you're making a genuine effort to find work. Being honest about your geographic limitations is better than lying. If you're in adjudication, they might just want to verify your job search efforts match what you reported. Keep documenting your job search activities and be ready to explain your reasonable commute distance if they call.
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Miles Hammonds
•Thanks, that's reassuring. I've been keeping detailed records of every job I apply to. How long does adjudication usually take for these kinds of questions?
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Ella Harper
•Depends on their current workload but usually 2-4 weeks for job search related reviews. Keep filing your weekly claims even during adjudication.
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PrinceJoe
I had something similar happen last year when I was on unemployment. Couldn't get through to anyone at NYS Department of Labor to explain what was going on with my claim. A friend told me about this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that actually gets you connected to real agents. I was skeptical but watched their demo video (https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI) and decided to try it. Got through to someone the same day who explained exactly what the adjudication was about and what I needed to do. Saved me weeks of stress.
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Miles Hammonds
•Interesting, I've never heard of that. Did it actually work? I've been trying to call for days and just get busy signals.
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PrinceJoe
•Yeah it worked for me. They basically handle the calling and waiting for you. Was worth it just to get a real explanation instead of guessing what was wrong with my claim.
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Brooklyn Knight
THE WHOLE SYSTEM IS DESIGNED TO TRIP YOU UP!!! They ask these confusing questions hoping you'll mess up so they can deny your claim. I've been dealing with NYS Department of Labor for months and every week there's some new hoop to jump through. Just keep fighting and don't let them intimidate you!
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Owen Devar
•I feel you on the frustration but the questions are usually there for legitimate reasons. The locational unemployment thing helps them understand labor market conditions in different areas.
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Daniel Rivera
same thing happened to my cousin but it was about skills mismatch instead of location. took like 3 weeks to resolve but she got all her back pay once they cleared it up. dont stress too much
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