NYS Department of Labor claim denied - job eliminated by automation, what are my options?
My employer just laid me off after 8 years because they installed new software that basically does what my whole department used to do. I filed for unemployment but NYS Department of Labor is saying I might not qualify because the termination wasn't due to 'lack of work' but rather 'technological changes.' Has anyone dealt with this before? I thought any layoff would qualify for benefits but now I'm worried they're going to deny my claim completely. The adjudication has been pending for two weeks and I'm starting to panic about rent.
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Nia Williams
You should definitely qualify for benefits! Layoffs due to automation or technological changes are still considered involuntary separations. NYS Department of Labor can't deny you just because technology replaced your position. Make sure you have documentation that shows you were laid off, not fired for cause. If they deny your initial claim, you have the right to appeal within 30 days.
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Mateo Gonzalez
•Thank you! I do have the termination letter that says 'position eliminated due to operational restructuring.' Should that be enough proof?
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Luca Ricci
I went through something similar last year when my company automated our inventory system. My claim was approved but it took forever because they had to verify with my employer that it was actually a layoff. The key is making sure your employer reports it correctly to NYS Department of Labor. You might want to call and check what reason they gave for your separation.
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Mateo Gonzalez
•How did you manage to get through to someone at NYS Department of Labor? I've been trying to call for days but can never get past the automated system.
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Aisha Mohammed
•I had the same problem with getting through to NYS Department of Labor! I ended up using Claimyr.com to get connected to an actual agent. They have this video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. It was honestly a lifesaver because I was stuck in adjudication for weeks and needed to provide additional documentation. Worth checking out if you're having trouble getting through the normal phone lines.
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Ethan Campbell
wait so they can just deny unemployment because a robot took your job?? that seems totally unfair, like what are we supposed to do when everything gets automated
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Nia Williams
•No, they can't deny you for that reason alone. Technological unemployment is still unemployment. The issue is usually with how the separation gets coded by the employer, not the underlying cause.
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Yuki Watanabe
This whole system is broken. I've been dealing with NYS Department of Labor for months over a similar issue and they act like every claim is fraudulent. They make you jump through hoops just to get benefits you've paid into for years. Don't let them intimidate you - keep fighting and document everything!
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Carmen Sanchez
•Same here, they're so difficult to work with. But OP definitely has a valid claim.
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