NYS Department of Labor claim denied - confused why low unemployment is bad for my case
Filed my unemployment claim last month after getting laid off from my warehouse job. Just got a denial letter from NYS Department of Labor saying I don't qualify because the unemployment rate in my area is too low (3.2%). I'm really confused about this - isn't low unemployment supposed to be good? The letter mentions something about 'work availability' but I've been applying to jobs every day and logging them properly. Has anyone else been denied for this reason? I thought unemployment benefits were based on whether you lost your job through no fault of your own, not on local job market conditions.
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Maya Lewis
This sounds like a misunderstanding of your denial reason. NYS Department of Labor doesn't deny claims based on low unemployment rates. The denial is likely related to 'able and available' requirements - they might be questioning whether you're genuinely available for work. Did you report any restrictions on your weekly claims like limited work hours, transportation issues, or unavailability on certain days?
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Benjamin Carter
•I did mention I can only work day shifts because of childcare. Could that be why they're saying I'm not available for work even though there are day shift jobs available?
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Isaac Wright
yeah this happened to my cousin too, they said something about job availability but it was really about her schedule restrictions. the low unemployment thing is probably just background info they include in all the letters
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Lucy Taylor
You need to appeal this denial immediately. NYS Department of Labor often denies claims for 'able and available' issues when claimants have any work restrictions. The appeal form should be included with your denial letter. Make sure you can prove you're actively seeking work within your availability parameters and document all your job search efforts. Keep your job search log updated because they'll want to see it during the appeal process.
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Benjamin Carter
•Thank you! I've been keeping track of my applications but should I include ones for evening shifts even though I can't actually take them?
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Connor Murphy
I had such a nightmare trying to get through to NYS Department of Labor to explain my situation when this happened to me. The phone lines are always busy and when you do get through they just tell you to file an appeal. I ended up using this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get connected to an actual agent who could explain what was going wrong with my claim. They have a video demo showing how it works at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI. Might be worth checking out if you can't get through the normal way.
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KhalilStar
•Interesting, never heard of that service before. Did they actually help resolve your issue or just get you connected?
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Amelia Dietrich
The whole system is designed to deny people!!! They use confusing language like 'low unemployment is bad' when what they really mean is you're not available enough for their standards. It's all about making you jump through hoops and hope you give up. Keep fighting it!
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Kaiya Rivera
Wait I'm confused too - how can low unemployment be bad for getting benefits? That doesn't make any sense to me either.
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Maya Lewis
•It's not that low unemployment is bad for benefits. The issue is likely that OP has work restrictions that limit their availability, and NYS Department of Labor is questioning whether they're truly able and available for work as required.
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