NYS Department of Labor says unemployment is low but I can't find work - what does this even mean?
I keep hearing on the news that unemployment is really low right now but I've been searching for 8 weeks since I got laid off from my warehouse job and can barely get any callbacks. My NYS Department of Labor weekly claims keep getting approved but the job search requirement is killing me because there just aren't that many openings in my area. What does it actually mean when they say unemployment is low? Does that affect my benefits or make it harder to extend my claim?
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Ava Martinez
Low unemployment means the percentage of people actively looking for work who can't find jobs is below average - usually around 3-4% is considered low. It doesn't directly affect your NYS Department of Labor benefits as long as you're meeting your weekly claim requirements and job search activities. Your benefits are based on your work history and earnings, not the overall unemployment rate.
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Dmitry Sokolov
•Ok that makes sense, so even if unemployment is low I can still collect my full 26 weeks as long as I keep doing my job searches?
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Miguel Ramos
yeah low unemployment is supposed to mean its easier to find work but honestly that hasnt been my experience either. been looking for 3 months and still nothing good
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QuantumQuasar
The issue is that low unemployment doesn't necessarily mean there are quality jobs available in your specific field or location. You might need to expand your search radius or consider temporary work to maintain your job search requirements. Make sure you're documenting everything properly in your work search record for NYS Department of Labor.
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Zainab Omar
•This is so frustrating! I'm doing exactly what NYS Department of Labor requires but the jobs that are available pay like $12/hour when I was making $18 before. Do I have to take any job they offer me or can I keep looking for something comparable?
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Connor Gallagher
If you're having trouble reaching NYS Department of Labor to clarify job search requirements, I used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get through to an actual agent when I had questions about my claim. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Really helped when I was stuck on hold for hours trying to get answers.
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Dmitry Sokolov
•Thanks I might try that if I need to talk to someone. The online system doesn't really explain much about the job search stuff.
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Yara Sayegh
Low unemployment is just a political talking point honestly. Doesnt mean much when most of the jobs are part time retail with no benefits. The whole system is rigged against working people.
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Keisha Johnson
I was confused about this too when I first started my claim! Low unemployment basically means most people who want jobs have them, but it can actually make job hunting harder because there's more competition for the good positions that do open up.
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