NYS Department of Labor economist friend says unemployment rate isn't always bad - confused about my claim
My friend who works as an economist keeps telling me that having some unemployment in the economy is actually normal and even healthy, but I'm sitting here with my NYS Department of Labor claim stuck in adjudication for 2 weeks and I don't understand how any of this is supposed to be good. She says something about people switching jobs and companies needing flexibility to hire better workers, but all I know is I got laid off from my manufacturing job in Buffalo and can't get through to anyone at the unemployment office. Am I missing something here? How is me being unemployed helping anyone?
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Samuel Robinson
Your friend is talking about macroeconomics - the big picture stuff. A small unemployment rate (around 3-5%) indicates a healthy job market where people can leave bad jobs to find better ones, and companies can hire workers with the right skills. It shows economic mobility and growth. But that doesn't make YOUR individual situation any less frustrating when you're dealing with NYS Department of Labor delays.
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Victoria Brown
•That makes more sense when you put it that way. Still doesn't help me pay rent while my claim is in limbo though.
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Camila Castillo
The theory is that some unemployment means the labor market is flexible - people aren't stuck in jobs they hate forever, and businesses can adapt to changing needs. But when you're the one unemployed dealing with NYS Department of Labor bureaucracy, economic theory doesn't pay the bills! Have you tried calling first thing in the morning? Sometimes I get through around 8:05 AM.
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Victoria Brown
•I've been trying every morning but keep getting the busy signal or disconnected after waiting on hold.
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Brianna Muhammad
•I had the same problem reaching NYS Department of Labor agents until someone told me about Claimyr. It's a service that helps you get through to unemployment offices - you can check it out at claimyr.com and they have a demo video at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI. Worked for me when I needed to get my adjudication issue resolved.
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JaylinCharles
EXACTLY what I was thinking!! These economists sit in their ivory towers talking about 'healthy unemployment rates' while real people are struggling to get their benefits. The NYS Department of Labor system is broken and they act like a few percent unemployment is some kind of economic feature instead of people's lives being disrupted.
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Eloise Kendrick
•I get the frustration but there's actually some truth to what economists say. When unemployment is too low (like under 2%), it can mean the economy is overheating and wages might not keep up with inflation. The key is having systems like unemployment insurance that actually work when people need them.
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Lucas Schmidt
yeah my econ professor said the same thing about natural unemployment or whatever. something about friction in the job market being normal? idk sounds like BS when you're waiting weeks for NYS Department of Labor to process claims
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Samuel Robinson
•Frictional unemployment is the term - it's the time between jobs when people are searching or transitioning. Structural unemployment happens when there's a mismatch between worker skills and job requirements. Both are considered 'natural' parts of a functioning economy, separate from cyclical unemployment during recessions.
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Freya Collins
I totally understand your confusion! When I was laid off last year I felt the same way. The economic theory side is that moderate unemployment gives workers bargaining power - if jobs are too scarce, employers can treat people poorly. If jobs are too plentiful, it can create labor shortages and inflation. The problem is when the safety net (like NYS Department of Labor benefits) doesn't work smoothly to support people during transitions.
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