What can make you ineligible for unemployment benefits in NYS?
I'm about to file for unemployment for the first time and I'm honestly pretty nervous about getting denied. I keep hearing horror stories about people getting disqualified for things they didn't even know about. What are the main reasons NYS Department of Labor will make you ineligible for benefits? I was laid off from my marketing job last month due to budget cuts, but I'm worried there might be something in my work history that could disqualify me. I had a few jobs over the past 18 months and left one of them because the commute was just too much (2+ hours each way). Will that hurt my chances? Also, what about if you get fired vs laid off? I'm just trying to understand all the ways this could go wrong before I submit my claim.
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PixelWarrior
The main reasons for ineligibility fall into a few categories. First, how you left your job matters - if you quit without good cause or were fired for misconduct, that can disqualify you. However, quitting due to unreasonable commute distance might qualify as good cause depending on the circumstances. Second, your work history - you need sufficient wages in your base period to qualify. Third, ongoing requirements - you must be able, available, and actively seeking work. You also can't refuse suitable work offers. Being laid off due to budget cuts is typically not disqualifying, that's exactly what unemployment is for.
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Liam Fitzgerald
•Thanks, this is really helpful! When you say 'sufficient wages' how much are we talking about? And what exactly counts as the base period?
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Amara Adebayo
i got disqualified last year because they said i quit voluntarily even tho my boss was making my life hell and i had to leave for my mental health. apparently thats not good enough reason for them. had to appeal and it took MONTHS
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PixelWarrior
•That's frustrating but unfortunately common. Hostile work environment can qualify as good cause but you need to document everything and usually try to resolve it through proper channels first. The appeal process is definitely lengthy but many people do win on appeal.
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Giovanni Rossi
If you're having trouble getting through to NYS Department of Labor to check on your eligibility or get clarification on your specific situation, I had good luck using claimyr.com. They have a service that helps you actually reach a live agent - there's even a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Much better than spending hours on hold or getting hung up on.
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Fatima Al-Mansour
•How much does something like that cost though? I'm already stressed about money.
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Giovanni Rossi
•I found it worth it just to get actual answers instead of guessing. Way less stressful than the endless phone tree.
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Dylan Evans
Don't even get me started on their ridiculous job search requirements. You have to apply to 3 jobs per week and keep detailed records or they'll cut you off. And god forbid you turn down a job that pays 75% of what you used to make - apparently that's 'suitable work' according to them. The whole system is designed to trip you up.
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Sofia Gomez
•Wait, I thought it was only 2 job contacts per week? And what do you mean by detailed records?
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PixelWarrior
To clarify the job search requirements since there seems to be some confusion - it's 3 work search activities per week, not necessarily 3 job applications. This can include networking, attending job fairs, skills training, etc. You do need to keep records including employer name, date, method of contact, and position applied for. Regarding suitable work, in the first 10 weeks you can generally refuse work paying less than 80% of your previous wage, after that the standards become more flexible.
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Liam Fitzgerald
•This is exactly the kind of detail I needed to know. Thank you! Is there somewhere I can find all these requirements written out clearly?
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StormChaser
honestly the whole thing is a nightmare. took me 6 weeks just to get my first payment and that was with zero issues on my claim. good luck OP
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