Should I collect unemployment benefits through NYS Department of Labor?
I got laid off from my restaurant job two weeks ago and I'm really unsure about whether I should apply for unemployment benefits. My manager said the layoff was temporary but didn't give me a date when I might come back. I've never filed for unemployment before and honestly don't know if I even qualify or if it's worth the hassle. I've been hearing mixed things about the NYS Department of Labor system being complicated. Has anyone been in a similar situation? Should I just look for another job instead or try to get unemployment while I search?
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AstroAdventurer
You should definitely apply! If you were laid off through no fault of your own, you likely qualify for unemployment benefits. The NYS Department of Labor doesn't require you to wait to see if your job comes back - temporary layoffs still count. You can collect benefits while job searching, and there's no penalty for applying even if you end up going back to your original job sooner than expected.
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Carmen Lopez
•Thanks! Do I need any specific documents to apply? I still have my last paystub but that's about it.
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Andre Dupont
YES apply immediately! I waited 3 weeks thinking my restaurant would call me back and I missed out on benefits for those weeks. The NYS Department of Labor has a one-week waiting period anyway, so the sooner you file your initial claim, the better. You can always stop claiming if your job calls you back, but you can't get benefits for weeks you didn't file.
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Zoe Papanikolaou
•This is so true. I made the same mistake during COVID thinking my job was coming back 'any day now' and lost like 6 weeks of benefits.
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Jamal Wilson
The process isn't as bad as people make it sound. You file online through the my.ny.gov website and then file weekly claims every Sunday. Just make sure you keep track of any work you do and jobs you apply for because they require you to do job searches. The restaurant industry has been pretty good about hiring lately so you might find something better anyway.
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Carmen Lopez
•How many jobs do I need to apply for each week? I heard it was like 3 but wasn't sure.
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Jamal Wilson
•It's 3 job contacts per week in New York. Can be applications, interviews, networking contacts, stuff like that. Keep a log of everything.
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Mei Lin
If you're having trouble getting through to the NYS Department of Labor phone lines to ask questions about your claim, I used a service called Claimyr that helped me get connected to an actual agent. You can check it out at claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. I was stuck trying to reach someone for days about my claim status and this got me through in like 20 minutes.
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Liam Fitzgerald
•Never heard of this but honestly anything is better than sitting on hold for 4 hours just to get disconnected
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Zoe Papanikolaou
just do it man, worst case they say no but at least you tried. unemployment helped me pay rent when my place closed down last year
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