Who can get unemployment benefit through NYS Department of Labor - confused about eligibility
I'm trying to figure out if I qualify for unemployment benefits in New York and honestly the NYS Department of Labor website is overwhelming. I was working part-time at a restaurant for about 8 months before they let me go last week due to slow business. I also had a freelance photography gig on weekends but that was pretty sporadic. I'm 23 and this is my first time dealing with unemployment stuff. Can someone explain in simple terms who actually qualifies for UI benefits? I keep seeing different requirements and I'm not sure if my situation meets them.
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Carmella Popescu
The basic eligibility requirements for NYS unemployment benefits are: you must have worked and earned wages in at least two quarters of your base period, you must be totally or partially unemployed through no fault of your own, you must be able and available to work, and you must be actively seeking work. Your base period is typically the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before you file your claim. With 8 months of restaurant work, you likely have enough work history. The freelance work might also count toward your wage credits depending on how it was reported.
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Lorenzo McCormick
•Thank you! What counts as 'through no fault of your own'? They said it was because business was slow, not because I did anything wrong.
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Kai Santiago
Being laid off due to lack of work definitely qualifies as 'not your fault.' You should be fine to apply. Just make sure you have your employment information ready - employer names, addresses, dates of employment, and reason for separation. The NYS Department of Labor will verify everything with your employers during the adjudication process.
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Lim Wong
•How long does that adjudication thing usually take? I filed 2 weeks ago and still waiting
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Dananyl Lear
ugh the whole system is so confusing!! i was working two part time jobs and got let go from both within a month of each other and im still not sure if that affects my eligibility somehow. the my.ny.gov portal keeps asking for all these details and i dont know if im filling it out right
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Carmella Popescu
•Multiple part-time jobs can actually help your eligibility since it shows more work history and potentially higher wage credits. Just report each job separately with accurate dates and wages.
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Noah huntAce420
I had major issues getting through to NYS Department of Labor to verify my eligibility status last year. Spent weeks calling and either got busy signals or hung up on after waiting an hour. Finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) which connects you directly to an agent - there's a demo video at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Was able to get my questions answered about my specific situation in like 20 minutes instead of weeks of frustration.
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Lorenzo McCormick
•Is that legit? Sounds too good to be true honestly
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Noah huntAce420
•Yeah I was skeptical too but it actually worked. Way better than the endless hold music and getting disconnected.
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Ana Rusula
Also remember you need to register with the NYS job search system and do at least 3 work search activities per week once your claim is approved. A lot of people don't realize this requirement until they get their first weekly claim form.
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Fidel Carson
same boat here, got laid off from retail last month and still figuring out if i qualify
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