Why is NYS Department of Labor so strict about unemployment definition requirements?
I'm trying to understand why the NYS Department of Labor has such specific rules about who qualifies as unemployed. Like why do they care so much about the exact definition and all these requirements? I got disqualified because apparently I didn't meet their specific criteria even though I'm clearly out of work. They said something about being 'able and available' and having to actively search for work in a certain way. Why can't they just look at my situation and see I need help? Is there some bigger reason they're so concerned with these definitions?
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Grace Durand
The government needs clear definitions because unemployment benefits are funded by employer taxes and federal grants. NYS Department of Labor has to prove to the federal government that they're only paying benefits to people who truly qualify. The 'able and available' requirement exists because UI is meant for people who lost jobs through no fault of their own and are actively trying to get back to work, not people who choose not to work or can't work for other reasons.
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Connor Richards
•That makes sense about the funding, but their definition seems so narrow. I was laid off but they're saying I don't qualify because of some technicality.
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Steven Adams
its all about the money basically. they dont want to pay out more than they have to. ive been dealing with this for months and they find every excuse to deny claims
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Alice Fleming
The unemployment definition also protects the integrity of the system. If NYS Department of Labor didn't have strict criteria, people could abuse the system - like quitting jobs just to collect benefits or staying on unemployment indefinitely without looking for work. The job search requirements and weekly certifications are designed to ensure benefits go to people genuinely trying to return to employment. What specific reason did they give for your disqualification?
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Connor Richards
•They said I wasn't available for full-time work because I mentioned I could only work certain hours due to childcare. But I never said I couldn't work, just that I had some scheduling constraints.
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Grace Durand
•That's actually a common issue. You can appeal that decision if you can demonstrate you're available for a substantial number of hours and actively seeking work within your availability. The key is showing you're not limiting yourself so much that you're effectively unavailable for employment.
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Hassan Khoury
I had issues getting through to someone at NYS Department of Labor about my eligibility questions. Kept getting busy signals and my messages went unanswered for weeks. Finally used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that connects you directly with agents. They have a demo video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI. Made it so much easier to get clarification on the specific requirements and why my claim was flagged.
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Victoria Stark
•How much does something like that cost? I've been trying to reach them for two weeks about my adjudication.
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Hassan Khoury
•The value was worth it for me - saved me weeks of frustration trying to get through on my own. Definitely check out their demo video to see if it would help your situation.
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Benjamin Kim
omg yes the definitions are SO confusing! like what even is the difference between being laid off vs fired vs quitting?? they act like its obvious but its not
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Alice Fleming
•Laid off means your employer eliminated your position due to business reasons (you qualify). Fired for misconduct means you did something wrong (usually disqualifies you). Quitting means you chose to leave (usually disqualifies unless you had good cause). The distinction matters because it determines if you qualify for benefits.
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Samantha Howard
The federal Department of Labor actually sets a lot of these standards that states like New York have to follow. It's not just NYS Department of Labor being difficult - they have to comply with federal guidelines about who can receive unemployment insurance. The whole system is designed around the principle that UI is temporary assistance for people between jobs, not long-term support for people who can't or don't want to work.
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