NYS Department of Labor says unemployment rate is low - what does this mean for my claim?
I keep hearing on the news that New York has low unemployment right now but I'm still struggling to find work after being laid off 2 months ago. My weekly claims are getting approved but I'm confused - if unemployment is supposedly low, why am I having such a hard time finding a job? Does this affect my benefits or how long I can collect? Also wondering if this means NYS Department of Labor will be stricter about job search requirements since they expect more jobs to be available?
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Hunter Edmunds
Low unemployment rate just means fewer people are unemployed compared to the total workforce - it doesn't mean there are no unemployed people or that finding a job is automatically easy. Your benefits eligibility isn't affected by the overall unemployment rate. You still get your full 26 weeks of regular UI benefits regardless of whether unemployment is 3% or 8%.
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Jade O'Malley
•That makes sense, thanks. I was worried they might cut benefits short or something if they think jobs are plentiful.
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Ella Lewis
ugh this is so frustrating!! they say unemployment is low but I've been looking for 4 months and getting nowhere. feels like the numbers don't match reality for people actually trying to find decent paying work
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Andrew Pinnock
•The job search requirements don't change based on unemployment rates - you still need to document your 3 job contacts per week in your job search log. However, if you're having trouble reaching NYS Department of Labor to ask about your specific situation, I used claimyr.com recently and it actually got me through to an agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works.
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Brianna Schmidt
same boat here, the 'low unemployment' thing is misleading because it counts part-time jobs and gig work as employed
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Alexis Renard
•Exactly! Plus it doesn't account for people who gave up looking or are underemployed. The statistics don't tell the whole story of what it's actually like out there job hunting.
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Camila Jordan
Don't stress about the unemployment rate affecting your claim. I've been through this before and NYS Department of Labor processes claims based on your individual eligibility, not economic indicators. Just keep filing your weekly claims and documenting your job search activities. The rate being low might actually mean more job postings to apply to for your work search requirement.
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