When can someone collect unemployment benefits through NYS Department of Labor?
I'm trying to help my neighbor understand when she might be eligible for unemployment benefits. She's been working part-time at a retail store for about 8 months but her hours got cut way down last week. She's also wondering if quitting a job for certain reasons would still make her eligible. Does anyone know the basic requirements for when someone can collect unemployment through NYS Department of Labor? I want to give her accurate info before she tries to file.
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Connor O'Neill
There are several situations when someone can collect UI benefits in New York. The main ones are: 1) Laid off or terminated through no fault of their own, 2) Hours reduced significantly (partial unemployment), 3) Quit for good cause like unsafe working conditions or harassment, 4) Temporary layoff or furlough. She needs to have worked enough quarters and earned minimum wages during her base period. Since she's been working 8 months, she should meet the work requirements.
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Zainab Ibrahim
•That's really helpful! What counts as 'significantly reduced hours' for partial unemployment? Her hours went from about 25 per week down to maybe 8-10.
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LunarEclipse
Your neighbor should definitely apply for partial unemployment benefits. When hours are cut that drastically, she can usually collect some UI while still working the reduced hours. She'll need to report her weekly earnings when she files her weekly claim, and NYS Department of Labor will calculate how much benefit she gets. The key is to apply right away - benefits don't backdate to before you file.
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Yara Khalil
•yeah i had the same thing happen and got partial benefits. just make sure she keeps track of exactly how many hours and how much she earns each week
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Keisha Brown
Wait, I thought you couldn't collect unemployment if you still have a job? This is confusing. I've been working reduced hours for two months and never knew I could file for anything.
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Connor O'Neill
•You can absolutely collect partial unemployment benefits if your hours are significantly reduced! It's designed exactly for situations like yours. You should look into filing a claim - you might be missing out on benefits you're entitled to.
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Paolo Esposito
If she's having trouble getting through to NYS Department of Labor to ask questions or check on a claim, there's actually a service called Claimyr that helps people reach unemployment agents by phone. I used it when I was stuck in adjudication for weeks. Check out claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Made the whole process so much easier than calling myself.
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Amina Toure
•How much does something like that cost though? I've been trying to reach someone at NYS Department of Labor for three weeks about my claim status.
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Paolo Esposito
•It's worth checking out their site for details. For me, the value was huge because I was losing weeks of benefits trying to get through on my own.
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Oliver Weber
Tell her to be prepared for the job search requirements too. Even with partial unemployment, she'll need to be actively looking for work and keep a log of her job search activities. NYS Department of Labor requires a certain number of work search contacts each week.
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Zainab Ibrahim
•Good point! Do you know how many job contacts she needs to do per week? And does applying online count the same as going to businesses in person?
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Yara Khalil
the whole system is so confusing honestly. i wish they made it clearer when people are eligible instead of making us guess and file appeals later
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