NYS Department of Labor denied my unemployment claim - what are the main reasons unemployment can be denied?
My unemployment claim just got denied by NYS Department of Labor and I'm trying to understand what went wrong. The letter doesn't give much detail, just says I'm disqualified. I was laid off from my warehouse job in December after working there for 8 months. Never had any disciplinary issues or anything like that. Can someone explain the main reasons unemployment can be denied? I want to figure out if I should appeal this decision or if there's something I'm missing about my situation.
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Zoe Alexopoulos
There are several common reasons NYS Department of Labor denies claims: 1) Insufficient work history/wages in your base period, 2) Voluntarily quitting without good cause, 3) Being fired for misconduct, 4) Not being able and available for work, 5) Refusing suitable work offers, 6) Not meeting job search requirements. Since you were laid off, it's probably either insufficient earnings or a paperwork issue. Check your monetary determination letter to see if you earned enough in your base period.
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CyberSamurai
•I did get a monetary determination that showed I qualified financially. The denial came after that, so it must be something else. How do I find out the specific reason?
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Jamal Carter
•Look for a 'Notice of Determination' or 'Disqualification Notice' in your my.ny.gov account. It should have a specific reason code. You can also call NYS Department of Labor but good luck getting through.
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Mei Liu
same thing happened to me last year got denied even though i was laid off turned out my employer told them i quit which was total BS had to appeal and provide documentation
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CyberSamurai
•Oh wow, how did you prove they were lying? I'm worried my employer might have said something wrong too.
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Liam O'Donnell
I had issues reaching anyone at NYS Department of Labor about my denial for weeks. Finally used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get through to an actual agent who explained my specific disqualification reason. They have a video demo showing how it works: https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI. Way easier than trying to call yourself and getting hung up on constantly.
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Amara Nwosu
•Never heard of that service before. Is it legit? I'm desperate to talk to someone about my claim status.
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Liam O'Donnell
•Yeah it's real, they basically handle the calling and waiting for you. Saved me hours of frustration trying to get through the busy phone lines.
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AstroExplorer
The NYS Department of Labor system is so messed up they probably denied you for no good reason!! I've been fighting them for months over my adjudication. They make up rules as they go along and treat people like criminals for needing help.
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Giovanni Moretti
•I feel your frustration but OP needs actual help with their appeal, not just venting about the system.
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Jamal Carter
Don't panic yet - many denials get overturned on appeal if you have the right documentation. Common denial reasons include: employer disputing the separation reason, incomplete job search documentation, missing wage information, or failing to respond to requests for information during adjudication. You have 30 days to appeal from the date on your notice. Gather your layoff paperwork, pay stubs, and any communication with your employer about the separation.
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CyberSamurai
•Thank you, this gives me hope. I do have my layoff notice and final paystub. Should I include everything when I appeal?
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Fatima Al-Farsi
definitely appeal it!! i got denied twice and won on the second appeal you just gotta keep fighting
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Jabari-Jo
I went through something similar last year. The most important thing is to request a hearing/appeal within 30 days of receiving your denial notice. When you do appeal, make sure to write a detailed explanation of why you disagree with the decision and include all supporting documents. Since you were laid off (not fired or quit), the burden is really on your employer to prove any misconduct if that's what they're claiming. I'd also recommend checking if your employer reported the separation correctly to NYS DOL - sometimes there are discrepancies between what actually happened and what gets reported in their system.
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