What reasons can NYS Department of Labor deny unemployment benefits - need to understand my options
I'm trying to understand all the different reasons NYS Department of Labor can deny unemployment benefits before I file my claim. I lost my job last month and want to make sure I don't mess anything up during the application process. I've heard there are specific disqualification reasons but can't find a clear list anywhere. Does anyone know what the main reasons are that they reject claims? I want to be prepared and understand what documentation I might need.
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Julia Hall
The main disqualification reasons include voluntary quit without good cause, misconduct, refusing suitable work, not actively seeking work, and not being able and available for work. There are also income limits and work history requirements you need to meet.
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Evelyn Rivera
•Thanks! What counts as 'misconduct' exactly? I'm worried they might interpret something from my termination meeting wrong.
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Arjun Patel
they denied mine because i didnt have enough work credits in my base period, had to appeal it and provide more documentation about my employment history
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Evelyn Rivera
•How do you calculate work credits? I worked part-time for most of last year so I'm not sure if I qualify.
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Jade Lopez
You need to have worked at least 2 quarters in your base period and earned a minimum amount. For 2025, I think it's around $3,300 total with at least $2,200 in your highest quarter. Also can't be fired for things like theft, violence, or repeated policy violations.
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Tony Brooks
•Wait, what if you were fired for attendance issues? Does that count as misconduct or not?
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Jade Lopez
•Attendance can be tricky - depends if you had good cause for the absences and whether you followed company policy for reporting them.
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Ella rollingthunder87
I had so much trouble getting through to NYS Department of Labor when they flagged my claim for review. Kept getting disconnected after waiting on hold for hours. Finally used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that calls them for you and gets you connected to an actual agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Saved me weeks of frustration trying to get answers about my disqualification.
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Evelyn Rivera
•That sounds helpful! Did they charge a lot for that service?
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Ella rollingthunder87
•It was worth it to actually talk to someone who could explain exactly why my claim was under review and what I needed to do to fix it.
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Yara Campbell
The whole system is designed to deny as many people as possible! They'll find any excuse - didn't file your weekly claim on the exact right day, missed one job search contact, anything. It's all about saving the state money.
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Isaac Wright
•That's not really true though. Most claims get approved if you follow the rules and meet the requirements.
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