What does filing for unemployment do - confused about the whole NYS Department of Labor process
I just got laid off from my warehouse job and everyone keeps telling me to file for unemployment but I honestly have no idea what that actually does or what happens next. Like do I just fill out some forms online and then money appears in my account? How much do you get and how long does it take? I've never been unemployed before so this is all new to me. My supervisor mentioned something about NYS Department of Labor but I don't even know where to start or what filing actually accomplishes.
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Mateo Lopez
Filing for unemployment benefits starts the process of getting weekly payments from NYS Department of Labor while you're looking for work. You'll need to create an account on my.ny.gov and complete the initial application. The amount depends on what you earned in your base period - typically it's about 50% of your average weekly wage up to a maximum. After you file, there's usually a one-week waiting period before benefits start.
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CyberNinja
•Okay so it's not immediate money then? How long does the whole process usually take from filing to getting the first payment?
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Aisha Abdullah
The filing basically tells NYS Department of Labor that you lost your job through no fault of your own and you're eligible for benefits. They'll verify your employment history, check that you meet the requirements, and then start sending weekly payments. But you have to keep filing weekly claims to continue getting money - it's not a one-time thing.
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Ethan Davis
•This! A lot of people don't realize you have to file every single week even if nothing changes. Miss a week and you won't get paid for that week.
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Yuki Tanaka
Just went through this whole process myself last month. After filing the initial claim it took about 2 weeks before I saw any money. You'll get a monetary determination letter that shows how much you'll get per week. For me it was around $400 weekly but depends on what you made at your job. The hardest part was actually getting through to someone at NYS Department of Labor when I had questions - their phone lines are always busy.
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Carmen Ortiz
•If you're having trouble reaching NYS Department of Labor by phone, I found this service called Claimyr that helps you get through to an actual agent. Check out claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that explains how it works. Saved me hours of calling and getting busy signals.
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MidnightRider
filing is just the first step, then the real fun begins with all the bureaucratic nonsense. They'll probably put your claim in adjudication for weeks while they 'investigate' something trivial. The whole system is designed to discourage people from actually getting benefits.
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Aisha Abdullah
•That's not always true - my claim was approved within a week with no issues. It really depends on your specific situation and employment history.
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Andre Laurent
wait so filing for unemployment means they give you money every week? how is that different from like welfare or food stamps?
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Mateo Lopez
•Unemployment is insurance that you and your employer paid into while you were working. It's specifically for people who lost their job through no fault of their own. Food stamps and welfare are different programs with different eligibility requirements.
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