< Back to New York Unemployment

Clay blendedgen

What is most associated with unemployment benefits in NY - confused about NYS Department of Labor requirements

I'm trying to understand what exactly NYS Department of Labor looks at when determining unemployment eligibility. I keep hearing different things from friends who've filed claims. Some say it's all about getting fired vs quitting, others mention work history requirements, and I've seen stuff about job search activities. What's actually the most important factor that's associated with getting approved for unemployment benefits? I lost my job last month due to company downsizing and want to make sure I understand everything before filing my claim.

Ayla Kumar

•

The most important factor associated with unemployment eligibility is your reason for separation from work. NYS Department of Labor classifies separations as either voluntary (you quit) or involuntary (you were fired/laid off). For involuntary separations like layoffs or downsizing, you're generally eligible. For voluntary separations, you need to prove you had 'good cause' like unsafe working conditions or harassment. You also need sufficient work history - typically earnings in at least 2 quarters of your base period.

0 coins

That makes sense about the separation reason. Since I was laid off due to downsizing, sounds like I should be good on that front. What exactly counts as sufficient work history though?

0 coins

dont worry too much about the work history part if you've been working steadily. the main thing thats associated with getting denied is if they think you quit without good reason or got fired for misconduct. since you got laid off youll probably be fine

0 coins

Beyond the separation reason, what's heavily associated with unemployment claims is the ongoing job search requirement. Once you're approved, you have to actively look for work and document your job search activities. NYS Department of Labor requires you to make at least 3 job contacts per week and keep detailed records. Many people get their benefits stopped because they don't take this seriously.

0 coins

Good to know about the job search requirement. Is there a specific way I need to document those job contacts?

0 coins

Yes, you need to log each contact with employer name, contact method, date, and position applied for. Keep everything documented in case NYS Department of Labor audits your claim.

0 coins

Kai Santiago

•

I had so much trouble reaching NYS Department of Labor when I needed to verify my claim status during adjudication. Spent weeks calling and getting disconnected. Finally found this service called Claimyr at claimyr.com that actually got me through to a real agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Saved me tons of frustration trying to get answers about what was holding up my claim.

0 coins

Interesting, I'll keep that in mind if I run into issues getting through to them. Hopefully the filing process goes smoothly though.

0 coins

Lim Wong

•

what everyone's saying is right but honestly the thing most associated with unemployment in my experience is just WAITING. waiting for your claim to get processed, waiting during adjudication if they need to verify something, waiting for your weekly payments to hit your account. the system is slow and theres not much you can do about it except be patient

0 coins

Dananyl Lear

•

The waiting is definitely the worst part! But to answer your original question, the three main things associated with unemployment eligibility are: 1) involuntary job loss or quitting with good cause, 2) meeting the wage/work history requirements in your base period, and 3) being able and available to work. If you meet all three, you should be approved assuming you file correctly.

0 coins

Perfect, that breaks it down really clearly. Thanks everyone for the help - feeling much more confident about filing now.

0 coins

New York Unemployment AI

Expert Assistant
Secure

Powered by Claimyr AI

T
I
+
20,087 users helped today