NYS Department of Labor - what are the 4 types of unemployment benefits available?
I'm trying to understand all my options after getting laid off from my retail job last month. I keep hearing there are different types of unemployment but the NYS Department of Labor website is confusing me. Can someone break down what are the 4 types of unemployment I might qualify for? I worked full-time for 18 months before losing my job due to store closure. Just want to make sure I'm applying for the right program and not missing out on anything.
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Liam Cortez
There are actually different ways to categorize unemployment types. For NYS Department of Labor benefits, you mainly have regular UI (unemployment insurance) which covers most layoffs like yours. There's also partial unemployment if you're working reduced hours, and extended benefits during high unemployment periods. The 4 types economists talk about are frictional (between jobs), structural (skills mismatch), cyclical (economic downturns), and seasonal unemployment - but for filing claims, focus on regular UI first.
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Kiara Fisherman
•Thanks! So for my situation with the store closing, I should just file for regular UI through NYS Department of Labor? Do I need to specify which type or does the system figure that out?
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Savannah Vin
yeah just file regular unemployment, thats what most people get. the other stuff is mostly academic categories. took me 3 weeks to get approved but the payments were backdated
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Mason Stone
If you're having trouble navigating the NYS Department of Labor system or getting through on the phone to clarify your eligibility, I used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me connect with an actual agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Really helped when I was stuck in adjudication and couldn't get anyone to explain what was happening with my claim.
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Makayla Shoemaker
•How much does something like that cost? I'm already broke from being unemployed and don't want to pay a bunch of fees just to talk to someone.
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Mason Stone
•It was worth it for me because I was losing weeks of benefits trying to get through myself. The peace of mind knowing exactly what was happening with my claim status was huge.
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Christian Bierman
The NYS Department of Labor system is so confusing! I thought there were like PUA and PEUC too but maybe those were just during COVID? I've been trying to figure out if I qualify for anything beyond regular unemployment since I also do some freelance work occasionally.
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Liam Cortez
•PUA and PEUC were pandemic-era programs that ended in 2021. For freelance work, you'll need to report any earnings on your weekly claims but you might still qualify for partial benefits depending on how much you make.
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Emma Olsen
honestly the whole system is a mess, spent 2 hours on hold yesterday just to get hung up on
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Lucas Lindsey
Good luck with your claim! I remember being so overwhelmed when I first filed. The regular UI ended up covering everything I needed though, and once you get into the rhythm of filing weekly claims it gets easier.
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