When will unemployment rates go up in NY - worried about my benefits timing
I keep hearing economists say unemployment is going to spike soon and I'm really worried about the timing. I just started a new job last month after being unemployed for 6 weeks, but it's only part-time and barely covers my rent. If unemployment rates do go up and more people start filing claims, will that affect how long it takes NYS Department of Labor to process new applications? I'm thinking I might need to file again if this job doesn't work out. Also does higher unemployment mean they change the benefit amounts or make the job search requirements stricter? I've never been through a recession while on unemployment before.
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Javier Morales
Higher unemployment rates don't directly change your individual benefit calculation - that's still based on your wage history from the base period. However, you're right that increased claim volume can slow down processing times at NYS Department of Labor. During busy periods, adjudication can take longer and phone wait times get worse.
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Natasha Kuznetsova
•That's what I was afraid of. Last time I filed it took 3 weeks just to get my first payment because of some verification issue.
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Emma Anderson
The job search requirements actually tend to stay the same regardless of unemployment rates - you still need to make 3 job contacts per week and keep your job search log updated. What can change is how strict they get about monitoring compliance, especially if there's political pressure to reduce costs.
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Malik Thompson
•This is so true! I noticed they started asking for more detailed documentation about my job searches when things got busy last year.
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Isabella Ferreira
honestly if you're worried about getting through to NYS Department of Labor when things get busy, there's this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me reach an agent when I couldn't get through myself. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Really saved me when I had an adjudication issue that needed immediate attention.
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Natasha Kuznetsova
•Thanks I'll check that out. I really don't want to be stuck in phone hell again if I need to file.
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CosmicVoyager
Your benefits won't change but the system definitely gets overwhelmed when unemployment spikes. I remember 2020 was a nightmare trying to get anything resolved.
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Ravi Kapoor
Wait are you talking about like the official unemployment rate or just more people filing claims? Because those are different things and I'm confused about what you're asking...
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Natasha Kuznetsova
•I meant like if the economy gets worse and more people lose jobs, so more claims get filed with NYS Department of Labor.
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Ryan Vasquez
I went through a similar situation during the last recession and can share some insights. Yes, when unemployment spikes, processing times at NYS Department of Labor definitely get longer - sometimes significantly. But here's what many people don't realize: if you're currently working part-time, you might actually be eligible for partial unemployment benefits right now while you're employed. Since you mentioned your part-time job barely covers rent, you should look into filing a partial claim. The benefit amount gets reduced based on your part-time earnings, but it could help bridge the gap. Also, if you do end up needing to file again, having recent work history (even part-time) can actually help your case since it shows you're actively trying to work. Just make sure to report all your part-time wages correctly when filing.
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Ravi Sharma
•@Ryan Vasquez Wait, I can file for partial benefits while working part-time? I had no idea that was even possible! My part-time job only gives me about 20 hours a week and I m'making way less than what I was getting on full unemployment before. Do you know if there s'a minimum number of hours I have to work to qualify for partial benefits, or is it just based on the wage amount? This could really help me right now while I m'looking for full-time work.
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