NYS Department of Labor qualifying separation determination - what does this mean for my unemployment claim?
I just received a letter from NYS Department of Labor about my unemployment claim and it mentions a 'qualifying separation determination' but I have no idea what this actually means. I was laid off from my retail job in December due to store closure and filed my claim right away. My weekly claims have been going through fine but now I got this official looking document that talks about separation determination. Does this mean there's a problem with my claim? Should I be worried about having to pay money back? The letter doesn't really explain it in plain English and I'm getting anxious about what this could mean for my benefits.
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Zara Shah
A qualifying separation determination is actually good news! It means NYS Department of Labor has reviewed how you lost your job and determined that your separation qualifies you for unemployment benefits. Since you were laid off due to store closure, that's definitely a qualifying separation - you didn't quit voluntarily or get fired for misconduct. This determination confirms you're eligible to receive UI benefits based on how you became unemployed.
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Sean O'Brien
•Oh thank goodness! I was so worried when I saw 'determination' thinking it meant they found something wrong. So this is just them confirming I'm eligible?
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Luca Bianchi
yeah i got one of those too when i got laid off last year. basically they just review why you lost your job to make sure you didnt quit or get fired for doing something bad. layoffs and store closures are automatic qualifiers so you should be fine
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GalacticGuardian
The determination process is standard for all unemployment claims. NYS Department of Labor has to verify that your job separation meets the requirements for benefit eligibility. There are qualifying separations (layoffs, business closures, certain medical reasons) and non-qualifying separations (voluntary quits without good cause, termination for misconduct). Keep that letter for your records - it's official documentation of your eligibility status.
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Nia Harris
•What happens if someone gets a non-qualifying determination? Can they appeal it or are they just out of luck for benefits?
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GalacticGuardian
•Yes, you can definitely appeal a non-qualifying determination. You have 30 days from the determination date to file an appeal with NYS Department of Labor. Many people successfully overturn initial determinations, especially if they have documentation supporting their case.
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Mateo Gonzalez
I remember being so confused by all the NYS Department of Labor paperwork when I first filed. They send you like 5 different letters and half of them sound scary even when they're telling you good news! The qualifying separation determination is basically their way of saying 'yes, you lost your job in a way that makes you eligible for unemployment.' It's required paperwork, not a red flag.
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Aisha Ali
If you're having trouble getting through to NYS Department of Labor to ask about any of their determinations, I had success using a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me reach an actual agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. I was stuck trying to call for weeks about my adjudication status and this got me through to someone who could explain everything in about 15 minutes.
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Ethan Moore
•How much does something like that cost? I've been trying to call NYS Department of Labor for days about my own determination letter.
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Aisha Ali
•It's worth checking out their site for details, but honestly after spending hours on hold getting nowhere, any reasonable cost was worth it to actually talk to someone who could help.
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Luca Bianchi
the whole system is so confusing with all these technical terms. i wish they would just say 'congratulations your claim is approved' instead of 'qualifying separation determination' lol
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