People who are unemployed tend to have the shortest lengths of unemployment - NYS Department of Labor stats?
I keep hearing people say that people who are unemployed tend to have the shortest lengths of unemployment but I'm not sure what this means for my situation. I've been collecting UI benefits for 8 weeks now and my claim shows I have 18 weeks left. Does this statistic mean I should expect to find work soon? I'm actively doing my weekly job search contacts (3 per week as required by NYS Department of Labor) but the job market still feels tough. Has anyone seen actual data on average unemployment duration in NY? Trying to figure out if I'm on track or falling behind compared to other claimants.
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Lena Kowalski
The statistic you're referring to typically means that most people who become unemployed find new jobs relatively quickly - usually within the first few months. NYS Department of Labor data shows that about 60% of claimants exhaust less than half their available weeks. Your 8 weeks is still within normal range, especially in today's market. Keep up with your job search requirements and document everything properly in case they audit your activities.
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Toot-n-Mighty
•Thanks, that's reassuring! I've been keeping detailed records of all my job applications and contacts. Should I be doing more than the minimum 3 job searches per week?
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DeShawn Washington
i think its more like people who WANT to work find jobs faster than people who just collect benefits. been on unemployment twice and first time took me 6 months, second time only 2 months because i was more motivated
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Mei-Ling Chen
•That's not really accurate. Employment duration depends on many factors - industry, location, skills match, economic conditions. NYS Department of Labor tracks this data and it's more complex than motivation alone.
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Sofía Rodríguez
Been there! When I was dealing with a similar situation last year, I got so frustrated trying to reach someone at NYS Department of Labor to ask about my job search requirements. The phone lines were always busy and I kept getting disconnected. Eventually found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get through to an actual agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Made such a difference being able to talk to someone who could explain the statistics and requirements clearly.
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Toot-n-Mighty
•That's interesting, I might check that out. I've had the same issue trying to get through to anyone at NYS Department of Labor when I have questions.
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Aiden O'Connor
The unemployment system is designed to make you feel like you're failing even when you're doing everything right. Those statistics don't account for people who have to take jobs that pay way less than their previous position just to get off unemployment. NYS Department of Labor counts that as a 'success' but is it really?
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Zoe Papadopoulos
•I understand the frustration but the data does show most people find comparable employment within 6 months. It's not perfect but the system does work for the majority of claimants.
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Jamal Brown
Same boat here, been on UI for 10 weeks. My caseworker told me the average in NY is around 16 weeks but that varies a lot by field. What industry are you in?
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Toot-n-Mighty
•I'm in marketing/communications. Feels like every job posting has 200+ applicants these days.
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