NYS Department of Labor unemployment approval after quitting - how to get approved for unemployment if you quit
I had to quit my job at a retail store last month because my manager was constantly changing my schedule with less than 24 hours notice, making it impossible to arrange childcare. I've heard that you can still get unemployment benefits even if you quit, but I'm not sure how to prove I had 'good cause' to NYS Department of Labor. My claim is currently under adjudication and I'm really stressed about whether it will get approved. Has anyone successfully gotten UI benefits after quitting? What kind of documentation did you need to provide to prove you had a valid reason?
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Drew Hathaway
Yes, you can absolutely get unemployment benefits after quitting if you had good cause. For NYS Department of Labor, good cause includes unsafe working conditions, harassment, significant changes to your job duties or schedule, and situations that make it impossible to continue working. The key is documenting everything. Do you have any text messages, emails, or written schedules showing the last-minute changes? You'll want to gather all of that for your adjudication review.
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Sadie Benitez
AuthorI do have some text messages from my manager changing shifts! Should I submit those through the my.ny.gov portal or wait for them to contact me?
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Laila Prince
ugh this happened to my sister too, her boss kept switching her hours around and she couldn't deal with it anymore. took forever for nys dept of labor to make a decision but she did get approved eventually
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Isabel Vega
The scheduling issue you described definitely qualifies as good cause, especially if it interfered with your ability to arrange childcare. NYS Department of Labor recognizes that sudden schedule changes can create impossible situations for workers. Make sure to document: 1) The original schedule you were hired for, 2) Examples of last-minute changes with dates and times, 3) How this affected your childcare arrangements, 4) Any attempts you made to resolve this with management. Submit everything through your online account and be prepared to explain the situation in detail if they call you for a phone interview.
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Dominique Adams
Wait, they do phone interviews for quit cases? I thought it was just paperwork review. How long do those usually take?
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Marilyn Dixon
The NYS Department of Labor system is so backed up right now, I've been waiting 6 weeks for my adjudication decision! At least you quit for a legitimate reason though. I'm dealing with getting fired and trying to prove it wasn't for misconduct. The whole process is just exhausting and they make it nearly impossible to actually talk to a human being when you have questions.
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Louisa Ramirez
I actually found a service called Claimyr that helped me get through to an actual NYS Department of Labor agent when I was stuck in adjudication hell. You can check them out at claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Basically they call on your behalf and get you connected to a real person instead of the automated system. I was skeptical at first but it actually worked and I was able to get clarification on my case status within a few days instead of waiting weeks.
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TommyKapitz
good luck! the adjudication process is nerve wracking but if you have documentation you should be fine
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Drew Hathaway
Just to add - while your case is under adjudication, make sure you're still filing your weekly claims. Even if the decision is pending, you need to maintain your claim to receive back payments once it's approved. Also, you'll need to be actively job searching and logging those activities, so start that process now if you haven't already.
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Sadie Benitez
AuthorOh good point about the weekly claims! I was wondering if I should keep doing those. Thank you for all the helpful advice, feeling much more confident about my case now.
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Drake
I went through something similar a few months ago when I quit due to workplace harassment. The key thing that helped my case was keeping a detailed log of incidents with dates, times, and any witnesses. I also saved screenshots of my original job posting that showed my expected schedule versus what was actually happening. NYS Department of Labor took about 4 weeks to make their decision, but they did approve my claim once they reviewed all the evidence. Don't give up - schedule changes that interfere with childcare arrangements are definitely considered good cause under NY law. Make sure to emphasize how the sudden changes made it impossible for you to fulfill your parental responsibilities.
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