What defines unemployment for NYS Department of Labor benefits - confused about eligibility requirements
I'm trying to figure out if I qualify for unemployment benefits through NYS Department of Labor and I'm honestly confused about what actually defines unemployment. I know you have to be out of work, but there seem to be other requirements too. Like do you have to be completely jobless or can you work part-time? What about if you quit your job versus getting fired? And I keep seeing mentions of being 'able and available' - what does that actually mean? I've been looking at the my.ny.gov website but it's not super clear. Can someone break down what actually defines unemployment for NYS Department of Labor purposes?
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StarSailor}
For NYS Department of Labor unemployment benefits, you must meet several criteria to be considered unemployed: 1) You're totally or partially unemployed through no fault of your own, 2) You're physically able to work and available for work, 3) You're actively seeking work, and 4) You meet the monetary requirements based on your work history. You can work part-time and still collect partial benefits as long as you report all earnings. If you quit voluntarily, you generally won't qualify unless it was for good cause like unsafe working conditions or harassment.
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Ava Garcia
•Thanks! So if I'm working like 15 hours a week at a temp job but looking for full-time work, I might still qualify for partial benefits?
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Miguel Silva
The 'able and available' requirement trips up a lot of people. It means you can't have restrictions that prevent you from accepting suitable work. So if you're only available certain days, have transportation issues, or can't work due to illness/injury, you might not qualify. You also have to be actively job searching - keeping a log of your search activities is required for NYS Department of Labor.
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Zainab Ismail
•wait so if I don't have a car and can only work jobs on the bus route that disqualifies me?? that seems unfair
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Miguel Silva
•Not necessarily - it depends on whether there are suitable jobs available within your transportation limitations. NYS Department of Labor looks at what's reasonable for your situation.
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Connor O'Neill
I've been dealing with NYS Department of Labor for months and honestly their phone system is impossible. If you need to talk to someone about your specific situation, I found this service called Claimyr at claimyr.com that actually gets you through to agents. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Saved me hours of trying to get through on my own when I had questions about my eligibility.
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Ava Garcia
•Interesting, might check that out if I run into issues with my application. The phone lines are definitely frustrating.
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Yara Nassar
Don't forget about the work search requirements! You need to make at least 3 work search contacts per week and keep detailed records. NYS Department of Labor can audit your job search log at any time. This includes applying for jobs, contacting employers directly, attending job fairs, or networking activities. Missing this requirement can get your benefits stopped.
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Keisha Robinson
basically if youre not working full time and its not your fault you probably qualify. just make sure you file your weekly claims on time and report any work you do
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