Received mandatory NYS DOL Virtual Career Center appointment after filing unemployment - can I reschedule without affecting benefits?

Yeah these appointments are mandatory. They basically just check that you're actively looking for work and following the rules. They'll ask about your job search efforts, what kind of work youre looking for, and maybe suggest training programs. Usually takes about 30 minutes if everything goes smooth. You can try to reschedule but sometimes that takes forever and you don't wanna miss it or your benefits could get paused.

After trying to call ny unemployment for WEEKS with no luck, I finally found a service that got me a callback from an actual person! Used claimyr.com and within an hour I had a live agent on the phone who helped me reschedule my career center appointment. Best money I ever spent after wasting days trying to get through. They also have a helpful video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE

You can definitely reschedule! Had the same thing happen in february. If you cant make it call the career center number directly (not the regular unemployment number) - try early in the morning like 8:01am and you'll have better luck getting through. Just have a valid reason ready.

These appointments are usually pretty chill. They're just checking boxes honestly. Mine was like 20 min max, guy asked about my job search, verified my info, and suggested some workshops (which are optional btw). Just be friendly and show youre making an effort to find work.

DO NOT MISS THIS APPOINTMENT!!! I missed mine cause I thought it wasnt a big deal and my benefits got cut off for 3 weeks until I could get it sorted out. Absolute nightmare trying to get anyone on the phone to fix it. If you absolutely can't make it, call ahead to reschedule.

I had one of those appointments last month. It was virtual (over zoom) and took about 45 min. They mostly wanted to make sure I was actively lookign for work and offered some resources. Nothing scary. You can call to reschedule but its a pain to get through to someone. My advice: just do the appointment even if its inconveniant.

They're making EVERYONE do these now. Its part of there new "initiative" to get people back to work faster 🙄 They'll ask about your skills, what jobs your applying for, suggest training programs, and tell you about local employers hiring. Just show them your looking and youll be fine.

The system is such a joke. I've had like 3 of these appointments since I started claiming benefits in December. Each one with a different person who has no idea what the previous one told me. Just smile, nod, tell them youre applying to jobs, and it'll be over before you know it.

I've been through the whole ny unemployment system and can give you some solid advice on these career center appointments: • They're mandatory - missing one can pause your benefits • Typically last 30-45 minutes but can go longer • Have your work search records ready (at least 3 job applications per week) • Be prepared to discuss your skills and job goals • They might suggest training programs or workshops • You CAN reschedule but don't wait until the last minute If you need to reschedule, good luck getting someone on the phone. Regular unemployment line won't help with career center appointments. You need to call the career center directly. The fastest way I've found to reach ANYONE at NY unemployment is using claimyr.com - they'll wait on hold and call you when they get a real person. Completely changed my experience dealing with the system and worth every penny when you're desperate to talk to someone. Also, if you're volunteering, mention that during your appointment - it shows you're being productive while job searching, which they like to see. Good luck!

These appointment are so stupid. I got a job offer literally the day before my appointment and still had to do the whole song and dance. Complete waste of my time and the career counselor could care less that I already found work. Just bureaucratic nonsense.

Call the Career Center ASAP to reschedule. The number should be in the message they sent you. If you explain about your volunteering they might be flexible, especially if you emphasize that you're serious about your job search. Whatever you do, don't just no-show.

My appointment was actually kinda helpful tbh. The career counselor helped me fix my resume and showed me some job search sites I didn't know about. She even gave me a lead on a position that matched my experience. Not saying they're all great but it wasn't as bad as I expected.

If your volunteering with kids you might actually be able to count that as a work activity depending on your career field! My career counselor said volunteer work counts toward work search activities if its related to your field or building relevant skills. Worth mentioning during your appointment.

These appointments are just government theater so politicians can say they're "helping people find jobs" instead of "giving handouts" 🙄 But you gotta play the game. Show up, be polite, pretend their suggestions are helpful, and get it over with.