What was unemployment rate like in 2016 - NYS Department of Labor historical comparison?
I'm trying to understand how the job market has changed since I was last unemployed. Back in 2016 I remember filing for UI benefits and it seemed like there were way more job openings then. Does anyone know what the unemployment rate was in 2016 compared to now? I'm wondering if that's why my job search is taking so long this time around. The NYS Department of Labor website has current stats but I can't find good historical data for comparison.
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Elijah Jackson
The unemployment rate in 2016 was around 4.8% nationally and New York State was similar, maybe slightly lower at 4.6-4.7%. That was actually considered pretty good - we were still recovering from the 2008 recession but things were stabilizing. The job market was definitely more favorable for job seekers then compared to some periods.
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Isabella Martin
•That makes sense why I found work faster back then. Do you know if the NYS Department of Labor keeps historical unemployment data accessible somewhere?
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Sophia Miller
yeah 2016 was way easier to find work, I remember getting multiple offers when I was unemployed that year
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Mason Davis
You can find historical unemployment data on the Bureau of Labor Statistics website, but for NYS specific data, the Department of Labor's Labor Market Information section has historical reports going back years. The job search requirements were also different in 2016 - they've gotten stricter about documenting your weekly job search activities since then.
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Mia Rodriguez
•Wait, the job search requirements changed? I thought you still just had to do 3 job contacts per week like before?
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Mason Davis
•It's still 3 job contacts but they're much more strict about documentation now. You need detailed records of each contact including company names, contact methods, and responses. The NYS Department of Labor audits these more frequently than they used to.
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Jacob Lewis
I had trouble getting through to NYS Department of Labor agents last time I needed to check on historical claim information. If you need to speak with someone about your account history or current claim status, I actually used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helps you get connected to actual agents. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Made it so much easier than spending hours on hold.
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Amelia Martinez
•Interesting, never heard of that before. Did they actually help you get through to someone?
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Jacob Lewis
•Yeah, within like 20 minutes I was talking to an actual NYS Department of Labor representative instead of getting the busy signal or being disconnected.
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Ethan Clark
The whole system has gotten more complicated since 2016, not just the unemployment rates. Everything is more digital now but somehow harder to navigate. I miss when you could just walk into a local office and talk to someone face to face about your claim issues.
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