What is the unemployment office - confused about NYS Department of Labor locations and services
I'm really confused about this whole unemployment thing and what exactly the unemployment office is. My friend told me I need to go to 'the unemployment office' to file my claim but I can't figure out where that actually is. Is it the same as the NYS Department of Labor? Do I actually need to go somewhere in person or can I do everything online? I lost my job two weeks ago and I'm starting to panic about bills. Can someone explain what this unemployment office thing is and how it all works?
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Admin_Masters
The 'unemployment office' is basically the NYS Department of Labor (NYSDOL). You don't actually need to visit a physical office anymore - almost everything is done online through the my.ny.gov website. You can file your initial claim, submit weekly certifications, and manage your account all online. The physical Career Centers are still around for job search help and computer access if you need it, but the actual unemployment claim process is handled digitally.
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Charlotte White
•Oh that makes so much more sense! So I can just go to my.ny.gov and start the process from home? Do I need any specific documents ready?
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Matthew Sanchez
Yeah like the other person said, it's all online now. You'll need your social security number, driver's license, and employment history for the past 18 months. Also have your bank info ready if you want direct deposit. The system will walk you through everything step by step. Just make sure you file as soon as possible because there's a waiting week.
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Charlotte White
•Waiting week? What does that mean exactly? Will I not get paid for the first week?
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Matthew Sanchez
•Correct - the first week you're eligible is unpaid. It's just how the system works in NY. So if you qualify, you'll get benefits starting from your second week of unemployment.
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Ella Thompson
i had the same confusion when i got laid off last year. spent like 2 hours driving around looking for an actual unemployment office lol. everything really is online now which is actually way easier once you figure it out
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JacksonHarris
If you're having trouble getting through to NYS Department of Labor by phone to ask questions, I recently found this service called Claimyr at claimyr.com that helped me get connected to an actual agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. I was stuck trying to reach someone about my claim status for weeks before using it.
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Jeremiah Brown
•The NYS Department of Labor phone system is absolutely terrible. I've been hung up on so many times. Might have to check that out if I run into issues with my claim.
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Royal_GM_Mark
Just to add - while most stuff is online, there are still American Job Centers (formerly called One-Stop Career Centers) around the state if you need help with job searching or using computers. But for unemployment benefits specifically, yeah it's all through the NYS Department of Labor website. Don't let anyone tell you that you HAVE to go somewhere in person for your UI claim.
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