What has the highest unemployment rate in NY - confused about NYS Department of Labor statistics
I'm trying to understand something about unemployment in New York and I'm getting confused looking at different statistics. What areas or industries have the highest unemployment rates according to NYS Department of Labor data? I'm wondering if this affects how fast claims get processed or if certain regions have longer wait times for adjudication. My claim has been pending for 2 weeks and I'm in upstate NY, wondering if that's why it's taking so long compared to what I'm hearing from people in the city.
9 comments
Join the conversation
Aisha Rahman
The NYS Department of Labor publishes regional unemployment statistics monthly. Generally rural counties upstate tend to have higher rates than NYC metro area, but claim processing times aren't really based on your location - they're more about your specific situation and whether there are any adjudication issues. Two weeks isn't unusual for initial processing, especially if they need to verify employment history.
0 coins
Mateo Perez
•That makes sense, I was worried my location was causing delays. Should I be concerned about the 2 week wait or is that normal?
0 coins
CosmicCrusader
I think seasonal industries like tourism and agriculture probably have the highest unemployment rates during off seasons. But honestly the NYS Department of Labor website is confusing to navigate for statistics. What matters more for your claim is whether you have any red flags in your work history that trigger adjudication.
0 coins
Ethan Brown
UGH the whole system is a mess!! Doesn't matter what the unemployment rate is when you can't even get through to talk to someone at NYS Department of Labor! I've been calling for THREE WEEKS and either get hung up on or sit on hold for hours. The statistics don't mean anything when the actual service is broken.
0 coins
Yuki Yamamoto
•I had the same problem with getting through by phone until someone told me about Claimyr. It's a service that helps you get connected to NYS Department of Labor agents - check out claimyr.com and there's a demo video at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI. Finally got through to resolve my adjudication issue after weeks of trying on my own.
0 coins
Ethan Brown
•Never heard of that but honestly willing to try anything at this point. Thanks for the tip!
0 coins
Carmen Ortiz
just filed last week and mine went through pretty quick, maybe depends on your employer? idk about unemployment rates but my friend in rochester said his took forever
0 coins
Aisha Rahman
To directly answer your question - according to recent NYS Department of Labor data, some Adirondack and Southern Tier counties typically show higher unemployment rates, often in the 6-8% range compared to 3-4% in metro areas. But for your claim processing, focus on making sure you're filing your weekly claims on time and have all your employment documentation ready in case they request it during adjudication.
0 coins
Andre Rousseau
•This is really helpful context, thank you. I'm in the Southern Tier so that explains some of what I'm seeing locally.
0 coins