NYS Department of Labor denied my unemployment claim - why would unemployment be denied and what can I do?
I just got a determination letter saying my unemployment claim was denied and I'm completely confused. I worked at a retail store for almost two years before getting laid off due to store closure. I thought unemployment was automatic if you lose your job through no fault of your own. The letter mentions something about 'insufficient wages' but I was working full-time making $16/hour. Can someone explain why would unemployment be denied in situations like this? I really need these benefits to pay rent while I look for another job.
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Connor Murphy
There are several common reasons NYS Department of Labor denies claims. Most frequent ones include: not earning enough wages in your base period (they look at specific quarters), being fired for misconduct, quitting without good cause, or not being available for work. Since you mentioned 'insufficient wages' that's likely about your base period earnings. They calculate this using wages from 4 quarters before you filed, not your most recent work.
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QuantumQuest
•So even though I was working full-time recently, they might not count those wages? That seems crazy - I was definitely earning enough to survive.
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Yara Haddad
Check your determination letter carefully - it should show which quarters they used for your base period and the total wages. If you worked there for 2 years you should have enough unless there were gaps. You can appeal this decision within 30 days if you think it's wrong. I had to appeal mine when they missed wages from a previous employer.
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QuantumQuest
•The letter does show some quarters but the amounts look lower than what I actually earned. Should I gather my paystubs before appealing?
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Yara Haddad
•Absolutely! Bring every paystub, W-2, and any employment records you have. Sometimes employers don't report wages correctly to NYS Department of Labor or there are data entry errors.
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Keisha Robinson
ugh this happened to my sister too!! she worked at a restaurant for like a year and they said she didnt have enough wages either. turns out the restaurant was paying some of her wages under the table and not reporting it properly. if your employer was doing anything sketchy with payroll that could be why
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QuantumQuest
•I don't think my employer was doing anything under the table - it was a big chain store. But maybe there was some reporting issue?
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Paolo Conti
I've been trying to reach NYS Department of Labor for weeks about my own wage issues and can never get through on the phone. The system is so frustrating when you need to resolve these problems quickly. Actually found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helps you get through to actual agents - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Might be worth checking out since you need to get this wage issue sorted before your appeal deadline.
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Amina Sow
•Never heard of that service before but anything is better than sitting on hold for hours. Have you actually used it yourself?
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Paolo Conti
•Yeah, used it last month when I had adjudication issues. Got through to someone in like 20 minutes instead of the usual 3+ hour wait times. Really helped me get my claim status clarified.
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GalaxyGazer
The whole unemployment system is designed to deny as many people as possible! They make it confusing on purpose so people give up and don't appeal. Don't let them win - fight this denial even if it takes months. I had to go through THREE levels of appeals before they finally approved my claim.
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QuantumQuest
•Three levels?? That sounds exhausting. How long did the whole process take you?
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Amina Sow
Most common denial reasons I've seen: 1) Base period wages too low 2) Fired for misconduct 3) Quit without good cause 4) Not available for work 5) Fraud allegations. Since yours says insufficient wages, focus on gathering ALL your wage documentation. Also check if they used the right base period - sometimes you can request an alternate base period if the standard one doesn't include your recent higher earnings.
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