What qualifies you for unemployment benefits in New York - NYS Department of Labor requirements?
I'm trying to figure out if I qualify for unemployment benefits through NYS Department of Labor. I left my job last month because my hours got cut from 40 to 15 per week and I couldn't afford to live on that. I had been working there for 2 years full time. Does anyone know what the actual requirements are? I've been looking at the my.ny.gov website but it's confusing with all the legal language. Do I need to have been fired or can you get benefits if you quit for a good reason like this?
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Mei Lin
Generally, to qualify for NYS Department of Labor unemployment benefits you need to meet several requirements: 1) You must have worked and earned wages in at least two calendar quarters during your base period, 2) You must have earned at least $2,600 in your highest quarter, 3) Your total base period wages must be at least 1.5 times your high quarter wages, and 4) You must be unemployed through no fault of your own. Quitting due to a substantial reduction in hours can sometimes qualify as 'good cause' but you'll need to prove the reduction made continued employment unreasonable.
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Jamal Wilson
•Thanks! So going from 40 to 15 hours would probably count as substantial reduction right? I have my old schedule and the new one they gave me as proof.
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Liam Fitzgerald
I had a similar situation last year - hours got cut by more than half. NYS Department of Labor approved my claim but it took about 3 weeks because they had to investigate whether it was 'good cause' to quit. Make sure you document everything - your original work schedule, the new reduced schedule, any communication about the hour cuts. Also be prepared to explain that you looked for other full-time work before quitting if possible.
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GalacticGuru
•Did they make you go through adjudication for the good cause determination? I'm worried about that process taking forever.
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Liam Fitzgerald
•Yes it went to adjudication but wasn't too bad. They called my employer to verify the hour reduction and called me to get my side. Just be honest about why you couldn't continue working with such reduced hours.
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Amara Nnamani
ugh the nys department of labor system is so confusing!! i tried applying online and got stuck on some question about my 'base period wages' - how am i supposed to know what quarters they're talking about?? why cant they just make this simple
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Mei Lin
•The base period is usually the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before you file your claim. So if you're filing in January 2025, your base period would likely be October 2023 through September 2024. The system should help calculate this automatically when you enter your employment history.
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Giovanni Mancini
I've been trying to reach someone at NYS Department of Labor for weeks about my eligibility question but their phone lines are always busy or I get disconnected. Has anyone found a way to actually talk to a real person there? This is so frustrating when you need answers about whether you even qualify.
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Fatima Al-Suwaidi
•I had the same problem trying to get through to NYS Department of Labor agents. Someone on here mentioned this service called Claimyr that helps you get connected to unemployment agents by phone. I tried it at claimyr.com and it actually worked - got through to someone in like 20 minutes instead of calling for days. They have a video demo showing how it works at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI. Might be worth checking out if you're stuck.
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Giovanni Mancini
•Really? That sounds too good to be true but I'm desperate at this point. Did they charge you a lot for it?
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Fatima Al-Suwaidi
•They focus on getting you connected rather than the cost aspect. For me it was worth it just to finally talk to someone who could answer my specific eligibility questions instead of guessing from the website.
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Dylan Cooper
Don't forget you also have to be able and available for work and actively seeking employment. NYS Department of Labor requires you to make at least 3 job contacts per week and keep a log of your job search activities. Even if you qualify initially, you have to maintain eligibility by meeting these ongoing requirements.
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Jamal Wilson
•Good point! I've already started applying to other jobs since my hours got cut. Should I start keeping track of those applications now even before I file my claim?
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Liv Park
•Yes, definitely start keeping track now! Even though you haven't filed your claim yet, having that documentation ready will help when you do apply. NYS Department of Labor wants to see that you're serious about finding work. Keep records of where you applied, when, what position, and any responses you get. It'll make the weekly certification process much smoother once your claim is approved.
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