What are all the reasons you can get unemployment benefits through NYS Department of Labor?

The main qualifying reasons for NYS unemployment benefits are: laid off due to lack of work, company downsizing or closure, seasonal work ending, reduced hours below full-time, discharged for reasons other than misconduct, and quit for good cause (like unsafe working conditions or harassment). Performance issues usually don't disqualify you unless it involves willful misconduct or policy violations.

dont forget about constructive discharge too - thats when they make your job so miserable you have to quit but its really like being fired. also partial unemployment if your hours got cut way down

I had a similar situation where I was terminated for 'performance' but it was really because they were cutting costs. NYS Department of Labor approved my claim after I explained the circumstances during the phone interview. The key is being honest about what happened and providing documentation if you have it. Your sister should definitely file - the worst they can say is no, and she can always appeal if denied.

Here's what I've learned after dealing with NYS Department of Labor multiple times - you can get benefits if you're: unemployed through no fault of your own (layoffs, business closure), partially unemployed (hours reduced significantly), temporarily unemployed (seasonal work), or if you quit for compelling reasons like workplace safety issues, discrimination, or significant changes to your job duties/pay. Performance termination usually qualifies unless it involved serious misconduct like theft, violence, or repeatedly violating clear policies after warnings.

ugh the whole system is so confusing! I got denied initially because they said I 'abandoned my job' when really I had to quit because my boss was making inappropriate comments and I felt unsafe. Had to go through a whole appeal process to get it sorted out

If you're having trouble reaching NYS Department of Labor to discuss your specific situation, I recently discovered this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that actually gets you through to speak with real agents. They have a demo video at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Saved me hours of trying to call and getting busy signals when I needed to clarify some details about my claim status.

tell your sister to file asap even if shes not 100% sure. the longer you wait the more weeks of benefits you lose. she can always provide more info during the adjudication process if they need it