NYS Department of Labor denied my unemployment claim - why was I denied unemployment benefits?
Got my determination letter yesterday and NYS Department of Labor denied my claim. The letter just says 'disqualified for benefits' but doesn't really explain WHY. I was laid off from my warehouse job in December after 2 years there. Company said it was downsizing. I thought layoffs automatically qualified you for UI benefits? What could have gone wrong? Has anyone else dealt with this? I really need these benefits to pay rent.
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Yuki Tanaka
Did you check the specific reason code on your determination letter? NYS Department of Labor uses different codes like misconduct, voluntary quit, insufficient wages, etc. The most common reasons for denial are: 1) Not earning enough in your base period, 2) Discharged for misconduct, 3) Voluntary quit without good cause, 4) Not available for work. Look for a section that says 'Determination' or 'Reason for Decision' - it should have more details than just 'disqualified'.
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Ethan Wilson
•I found it! It says 'discharged for misconduct connected with work.' But I was laid off, not fired for misconduct. This has to be a mistake right?
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Carmen Diaz
same thing happened to my brother last year, turned out the employer reported it wrong to NYS Department of Labor
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Ethan Wilson
•How did he fix it? I definitely wasn't fired for misconduct - the whole department got laid off.
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Andre Laurent
This is actually pretty common. When employers report the separation reason to NYS Department of Labor, sometimes they select the wrong code or provide incomplete information. If you were truly laid off due to downsizing, you should appeal this determination immediately. You have 30 days from the date on the letter. The appeal process lets you present your side of the story and provide documentation like your layoff notice, company announcements about downsizing, etc.
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Ethan Wilson
•I do have the layoff letter from HR. Should I include that with my appeal? What else do I need?
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Andre Laurent
•Yes, include the layoff letter! Also gather any emails about the downsizing, witness contact info from coworkers who were also laid off, and write a detailed statement explaining what happened. The appeal form is on the my.ny.gov website.
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AstroAce
ugh this is so stressful! I've been waiting 3 weeks just to get my determination and now this. How long does the appeal take?? I can't wait months for this to get sorted out
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Yuki Tanaka
•Appeals usually take 4-8 weeks depending on the complexity. You can continue filing weekly claims during the appeal process, but you won't get paid until it's resolved in your favor.
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Zoe Kyriakidou
I had trouble reaching NYS Department of Labor about my appeal status for weeks. Kept getting busy signals or hung up on after waiting an hour. Finally found this service called Claimyr that calls for you and gets you connected to an actual agent. Check out claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Saved me so much frustration trying to get through on my own.
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Ethan Wilson
•Never heard of this but might try it if I can't get through myself. Thanks for the suggestion!
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Jamal Brown
•interesting, might check that out too
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Mei Zhang
THE WHOLE SYSTEM IS BROKEN!!! They make it impossible to reach anyone and then deny valid claims. I've been fighting with NYS Department of Labor for months over an overpayment that isn't even my fault. They need to completely overhaul this mess.
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Yuki Tanaka
•I understand the frustration, but the appeal process does work if you have documentation. Focus on gathering your evidence and filing that appeal within the 30-day deadline.
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