What causes unemployment - trying to understand NYS Department of Labor eligibility requirements
I'm confused about what actually qualifies you for unemployment benefits through NYS Department of Labor. My job ended last month but I'm not sure if I qualify because there are so many different reasons people lose work. Can someone explain what causes unemployment that makes you eligible for UI benefits? I worked for 18 months at a retail store before they laid me off due to slow business. Is that enough work history? What about people who quit or get fired - do they qualify too?
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Jacob Smithson
NYS Department of Labor has specific eligibility requirements. You need sufficient work history (they look at your base period earnings) and you must be unemployed through no fault of your own. Layoffs due to lack of work qualify. Quitting without good cause or being fired for misconduct usually disqualifies you. Since you were laid off due to slow business, that should qualify as long as you meet the earnings requirements.
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Sophia Nguyen
•Thanks! How do I know if I have enough earnings in my base period? Is 18 months of retail work usually enough for NYS Department of Labor?
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Isabella Brown
i got laid off too and qualified right away. retail jobs usually pay enough if you worked steady for over a year
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Maya Patel
The main causes that make you eligible are: layoffs, reduction in force, plant closures, seasonal work ending, or being fired for reasons other than misconduct. You need to have worked and earned wages in at least 2 quarters of your base period. For 2025, you need at least $3,300 in your highest quarter and total base period wages of at least 1.5 times your high quarter amount. If you're having trouble reaching NYS Department of Labor to verify your earnings, I used claimyr.com recently - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works for getting through to agents.
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Aiden Rodríguez
•Wait so if I quit because my boss was harassing me would that count as good cause? Or would NYS Department of Labor consider that my fault?
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Maya Patel
•Quitting due to harassment can qualify as good cause if you can document it and tried to resolve it through proper channels first. NYS Department of Labor will investigate those situations during adjudication.
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Emma Garcia
THE WHOLE SYSTEM IS DESIGNED TO DENY BENEFITS! They make it so confusing on purpose. I got denied even though I worked for 2 years because they said I didn't earn enough in the right quarters. Make sure you understand their base period calculation or you'll get screwed like I did.
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Ava Kim
•That sucks but did you appeal the decision? Sometimes they calculate the base period wrong initially.
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Ethan Anderson
Just went through this myself. The main thing is being unemployed through no fault of your own. Economic layoffs, company closures, end of seasonal work all qualify. Getting fired for poor performance might still qualify but misconduct like stealing or violating company policy usually doesn't. Your 18 months should be plenty for the earnings requirement.
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