NYS Department of Labor unemployment eligibility after quitting my job - need advice
I've been working at this retail store for 8 months but the working conditions have gotten really bad. My manager keeps scheduling me for shifts I told them I can't work due to my second job, and when I complained to HR they basically told me to deal with it or leave. I'm thinking about quitting but I'm worried about unemployment benefits. Does anyone know if you can get NYS Department of Labor unemployment if you quit your job? I really need the income but I can't keep dealing with this situation.
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Zainab Ismail
Generally speaking, if you voluntarily quit your job you won't qualify for unemployment benefits unless you can prove you had 'good cause' for leaving. The NYS Department of Labor considers things like unsafe working conditions, significant changes to your job duties, or harassment as potential good cause. Scheduling conflicts alone usually aren't enough unless your employer made unreasonable changes after you were hired.
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Miguel Silva
•What counts as unreasonable changes? When I started they said my schedule would be consistent but now they're changing it every week with no notice.
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Connor O'Neill
I quit my last job because of a hostile work environment and still got denied for unemployment. The NYS Department of Labor makes you prove that you tried to resolve the issues with your employer first. Do you have any documentation of your complaints to HR or written proof of the scheduling problems?
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Yara Nassar
Before you quit, document everything! Keep copies of your original job offer or any written agreements about your schedule. Email your manager about the scheduling conflicts so you have a paper trail. If you do decide to quit, when you file for unemployment make sure you select 'quit for good cause' and provide all your documentation. The key is showing you made reasonable efforts to fix the problem before leaving.
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Keisha Robinson
•This is solid advice. I had to appeal my denial after quitting but won because I had emails showing I tried to work with my boss on the issues.
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GalaxyGuardian
honestly the unemployment system is so messed up, they'll probably deny you anyway even if you have good cause. took me 6 weeks just to get through to someone at NYS Department of Labor when I was trying to appeal my disqualification. if you really need to talk to them about your specific situation, I used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that actually got me through to a real person. they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. way better than spending hours on hold
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Miguel Silva
•How much does that cost? I'm already stressed about money if I quit my job.
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GalaxyGuardian
•It's worth checking out their site for details, but honestly getting through to explain your situation properly could save you weeks of waiting and potential denials.
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Paolo Ricci
just want to say i feel for you, retail scheduling is the worst! managers act like they own your entire life
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Amina Toure
Have you considered looking for another job before you quit? That way you wouldn't need unemployment at all. I know it's not always possible but might be worth exploring if the situation isn't completely unbearable yet. The job market is pretty good right now in most areas.
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