What is involuntary unemployment according to NYS Department of Labor - confused about my eligibility
I just got laid off from my job at a manufacturing plant after 3 years and I'm trying to understand if I qualify for benefits. The NYS Department of Labor website keeps mentioning 'involuntary unemployment' but I'm not 100% sure what that means exactly. My supervisor said the layoffs were due to budget cuts and they had to eliminate my position entirely. Does this count as involuntary unemployment? I never quit or got fired for cause - they just said my department was being downsized. I'm worried I might not qualify if I don't understand the definition correctly. Can someone explain what involuntary unemployment means in terms of getting approved for benefits?
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Micah Franklin
Yes, your situation definitely qualifies as involuntary unemployment! Involuntary unemployment means you lost your job through no fault of your own - things like layoffs, company closures, position eliminations, or being terminated without cause. Since you were laid off due to budget cuts and downsizing, that's textbook involuntary unemployment. The NYS Department of Labor will approve your claim as long as you meet the other requirements like having enough work history and wages.
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Ruby Blake
•Thank you so much! That's exactly what I needed to hear. I was getting anxious thinking I might not qualify.
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Ella Harper
involuntary unemployment = you didnt choose to lose your job basically. if you quit or got fired for stealing or something thats voluntary. layoffs are definitely involuntary
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PrinceJoe
To clarify further, the NYS Department of Labor specifically looks at whether you were separated from employment due to circumstances beyond your control. Involuntary unemployment includes layoffs, reduction in force, plant closures, elimination of positions, and termination without misconduct. It does NOT include quitting (even for good reasons), being fired for misconduct, or refusing suitable work. Your layoff due to downsizing is a clear case of involuntary unemployment and you should have no issues with eligibility on that front.
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Brooklyn Knight
•What if you get fired but the company says it was for performance issues but you think it was unfair? Is that still involuntary?
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PrinceJoe
•That would go through adjudication. The NYS Department of Labor would review the circumstances and determine if the termination was for misconduct or just poor performance. Poor performance without willful misconduct can still qualify as involuntary unemployment.
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Owen Devar
I had the exact same worry when I got laid off last year! I kept thinking there had to be some catch since it seemed too straightforward. But honestly, the NYS Department of Labor system is designed for situations exactly like yours - involuntary job loss. I was approved within a week once I filed my claim. The hardest part was actually getting through to verify my identity, not proving the unemployment was involuntary. If you're having trouble reaching them by phone, I found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get connected to an actual agent. They have a video demo showing how it works: https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI. Made the whole process much less stressful.
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Daniel Rivera
•How much does that service cost though? I'm already broke from being unemployed...
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Owen Devar
•It's worth checking out their site for the details, but honestly when you're dealing with weeks of not being able to get through to resolve issues, the value is pretty clear. I was spending hours every day trying to call.
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Sophie Footman
Same thing happened to me except my whole department got eliminated when they moved operations to another state. Took me forever to figure out that this was considered involuntary unemployment because I thought maybe since the company was still operating somewhere else it might not count? But it totally does. The NYS Department of Labor approved my claim right away once I explained the situation.
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Ruby Blake
This is all really helpful everyone! I feel much better about filing my claim now. Just to make sure I understand - involuntary unemployment basically means any job loss that wasn't my choice or fault, right? And layoffs due to company budget issues definitely fall into that category?
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Micah Franklin
•Exactly right! You've got it. Budget-related layoffs are one of the most common reasons for involuntary unemployment benefits. Go ahead and file your claim - you'll be fine.
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