NYS Department of Labor - why is unemployment high in my area and how does it affect my claim?
I've been trying to understand why unemployment is so high in my region (upstate NY) and whether this affects my weekly claims or job search requirements. I filed 6 weeks ago and I'm wondering if the high unemployment rate means NYS Department of Labor is being more lenient with job search requirements or if I need to expand my search area. My adjudication finally cleared but I'm stressed about meeting the work search requirements when there seem to be so few jobs available. Anyone else dealing with this?
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Ellie Simpson
High unemployment doesn't change your job search requirements - you still need to make 3 work search contacts per week as documented in your job search log. However, NYS Department of Labor does consider local labor market conditions during eligibility reviews. If you're in an area with limited opportunities in your field, you can expand your search geographically or consider related occupations after a reasonable period.
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AaliyahAli
•That's helpful, thank you. I've been documenting everything but wasn't sure if the local situation mattered. Should I mention the limited local opportunities in my weekly claim notes?
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Arjun Kurti
ugh same situation here! been looking for 2 months and there's basically nothing in my field around here. the whole economy is messed up right now
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Raúl Mora
•I know it's frustrating, but you have to keep documenting your search efforts. NYS Department of Labor requires proof of work search activities regardless of local conditions. Try expanding to remote work opportunities or neighboring counties if possible.
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Margot Quinn
Had a similar issue last year when unemployment spiked in my area. I was having trouble reaching NYS Department of Labor to clarify job search requirements for my specific situation. Finally used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get through to an actual agent. There's a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Was able to get clarity on whether I could count certain activities as valid work search contacts.
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Evelyn Kim
•Interesting, never heard of that service. Did they charge you for it?
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Margot Quinn
•They do charge but it was worth it to actually talk to someone at NYS Department of Labor instead of being on hold forever or getting hung up on. Helped me avoid potential issues with my claim.
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Diego Fisher
The unemployment rate affects everyone but NYS Department of Labor still expects you to follow all the rules exactly. I learned this the hard way when I got a disqualification notice for not meeting work search requirements even though there were hardly any jobs posted in my field. Had to go through the whole appeal process.
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AaliyahAli
•Oh no! Did you win your appeal? I'm definitely going to be extra careful with my documentation now.
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