NYS Department of Labor unemployment certification questions confusing me - need help understanding
I'm on my third week of filing and some of these certification questions are really confusing me. Like when they ask if I was 'able and available' for work - I had a dentist appointment on Tuesday morning but was available the rest of the week. Do I answer yes or no? And the question about refusing work - does that include jobs that pay way less than my previous salary? I don't want to mess up my claim but these questions seem like they could be interpreted different ways. Anyone know how strict NYS Department of Labor is about these answers?
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QuantumQuest
For the able and available question, you should answer yes if you were available for work most of the week. A dentist appointment doesn't disqualify you. For refusing work, you can refuse jobs that don't match your skill level or pay significantly less than your previous job, but there are limits. After a certain period, NYS Department of Labor expects you to expand your job search and accept lower-paying positions.
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Zoe Dimitriou
•How long is that certain period? I've only been unemployed for about a month and my last job paid $28/hour. Should I be applying for $15/hour jobs already?
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Jamal Anderson
i think ur overthinking it. just answer honestly and if they have questions they'll contact you. i had similar confusion with the work search questions and nothing happened
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Mei Zhang
The key is being truthful but understanding the spirit of the questions. 'Able and available' means you're ready and willing to work if offered a suitable job. Medical appointments don't count against you unless they prevent you from accepting work for extended periods. For work refusal, you have some protection initially but it gets stricter over time. Document everything - keep records of what jobs you apply for and any you turn down with reasons why.
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Liam McGuire
•This is exactly right. I learned the hard way that documentation is key. NYS Department of Labor can ask for proof of your job search activities at any time.
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Amara Eze
Had similar issues reaching someone at NYS Department of Labor about certification questions. Kept getting busy signals and when I did get through, got disconnected twice. Finally used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get connected to an actual agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Ended up getting my questions answered about able and available requirements and work search documentation.
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Zoe Dimitriou
•Never heard of that service before. Did they charge you? I'm getting frustrated trying to reach anyone by phone.
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Amara Eze
•It was worth it to actually talk to someone who could explain the certification requirements clearly. Much better than guessing and potentially messing up my claim.
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Giovanni Ricci
BE VERY CAREFUL with those certification questions!!! I answered one wrong about being available and they flagged my entire claim for review. Took 6 weeks to sort out and I almost lost benefits. The system is designed to trip you up I swear.
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NeonNomad
•What specifically did you answer wrong? This is making me nervous about my own certifications.
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