What does claimant mean for unemployment benefits in NYS Department of Labor system?
I'm really confused about all this terminology. I just filed for unemployment last week and keep seeing the word 'claimant' everywhere on the NYS Department of Labor website and in emails. What exactly does claimant mean? Is that just me? I thought I was applying for benefits but now I'm worried I did something wrong because they keep calling me a claimant instead of an applicant.
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Eloise Kendrick
You didn't do anything wrong! A claimant is simply the person who has filed a claim for unemployment benefits. Once you submit your application to NYS Department of Labor, you become a claimant. It's just their official term for someone who is claiming unemployment benefits.
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JaylinCharles
•Oh thank goodness! I was worried I had filed under the wrong category or something. So claimant just means I'm the person asking for benefits?
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Lucas Schmidt
Yeah, claimant = you. It's the same as beneficiary basically, but they use claimant throughout the whole process. You'll see it on your weekly claim certifications, any correspondence, and if you ever have to go through adjudication. Don't worry about the terminology - focus on making sure you're filing your weekly claims on time and meeting the job search requirements.
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Freya Collins
omg i had the same confusion when i started!! claimant just means the person who filed the claim. i thought it sounded so official and scary at first but its literally just you lol
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LongPeri
•Right?? All these government terms make everything sound so intimidating when it's really simple stuff.
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Oscar O'Neil
If you're having trouble understanding NYS Department of Labor terminology or need to speak with someone about your claim status, I had luck using Claimyr to get through to an actual agent. The phone lines are always busy but their service helped me connect without waiting on hold forever. They have a demo video at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI and the site is claimyr.com if you want to check it out.
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JaylinCharles
•Thanks! I might need that if I run into more confusing stuff. The website is pretty overwhelming with all the different sections.
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Sara Hellquiem
Claimant is just legal speak for 'person filing the claim.' You'll also see terms like 'benefit year' and 'base period' that sound complicated but are really straightforward once you understand them. The NYS Department of Labor website has a glossary somewhere that explains all these terms if you want to get familiar with them.
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