Why can you be denied unemployment - NYS Department of Labor rejection reasons explained

There are several main reasons NYS Department of Labor can deny unemployment benefits: 1) Voluntary quit without good cause 2) Discharge for misconduct 3) Not able and available for work 4) Refusing suitable work 5) Not actively seeking work 6) Fraud or misrepresentation. For misconduct, they look at whether you violated company policy deliberately or were negligent. If you were truly laid off, this sounds like an error in your determination. You should definitely appeal within 30 days.

I had something similar happen. NYS Department of Labor denied me initially because my former employer reported I was fired for attendance issues, but it was actually medical leave that HR messed up. The appeal process involves requesting a hearing where you can present evidence and testimony. Make sure you have documentation like your layoff notice, any emails about the downsizing, or witness statements from coworkers who can verify it was a layoff not misconduct.

this is so frustrating!! NYS Department of Labor makes everything so complicated and the employers can basically say whatever they want. I got denied because they said I quit but I was actually constructively discharged - they cut my hours to almost nothing and changed my job duties completely. The system is rigged against workers

If you're having trouble reaching NYS Department of Labor to discuss your denial or get help with the appeal process, I had success using a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get through to an actual agent. There's a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. It was really helpful when I needed to clarify some details about my case that weren't clear in the written determination.

Also remember they can deny you for not meeting the monetary requirements - you need to have earned enough wages in your base period. And if you worked less than 20 weeks or didn't earn at least $2,600 in covered employment, that's an automatic denial too. Sometimes people think they qualify but haven't met the basic eligibility requirements.

been there! so stressful when you're counting on that money and then get denied. definitely appeal if you think they made a mistake about the layoff vs firing thing

I went through something similar last year - got denied initially because of a "misconduct" classification when I was actually laid off. The key thing is to gather all your documentation ASAP: layoff notice, any company-wide emails about downsizing, your final paystub, etc. When you file your appeal (do it online through the NYS DOL website or call their appeals line), make sure to clearly state that you were laid off due to company downsizing, not fired for misconduct. The hearing officer will review both your evidence and what your employer submitted. In my case, it turned out HR had incorrectly coded my separation as "fired" instead of "laid off" in their system. Once I provided the layoff documentation, the decision was reversed and I got all my back benefits. Don't let the initial denial discourage you - errors happen more often than you'd think.