Why is unemployment a social problem - struggling to understand NYS Department of Labor requirements
I've been dealing with the NYS Department of Labor system for 6 months now and I'm starting to see why unemployment is such a bigger issue than just individual problems. My claim got stuck in adjudication for weeks, I've had to deal with overpayment notices that made no sense, and the job search requirements seem impossible to meet in my field. But talking to other people going through this, it seems like the whole system creates more problems than it solves. Everyone I know has horror stories about getting through to NYS Department of Labor agents, appeals taking forever, and benefits getting cut off without warning. Is it just me or does the unemployment system itself make being unemployed way harder than it needs to be? Like why is getting help when you're already struggling such a nightmare process?
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Mateo Lopez
You're absolutely right that unemployment becomes a social problem when the system designed to help people actually creates barriers instead. The NYS Department of Labor processes are overwhelmed, understaffed, and often contradictory. When someone loses their job, they shouldn't have to become an expert in bureaucratic procedures just to get basic assistance. The adjudication delays you mentioned affect thousands of people simultaneously, creating widespread financial instability. Job search requirements that don't match current market realities force people into pointless activities instead of meaningful job hunting.
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CyberNinja
•exactly! I spent more time figuring out how to properly log my job searches than actually searching for jobs that made sense for my experience
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Aisha Abdullah
same experience here, been waiting 3 weeks just to talk to someone about my disqualification and every time I call I get hung up on after an hour of holding
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Ethan Davis
•Have you tried using Claimyr? I found out about it from someone on here - it's at claimyr.com and they help you actually get through to NYS Department of Labor agents. There's a demo video at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. I was skeptical but got connected within 20 minutes when I'd been trying for weeks on my own.
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Aisha Abdullah
•never heard of that but at this point I'm willing to try anything, thanks for the tip
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Yuki Tanaka
The unemployment system wasn't designed for the modern economy. Most of the rules and procedures were created decades ago when job markets were more stable and predictable. Now you have gig workers, remote positions, seasonal employment, and industry shifts that don't fit into the old categories. The NYS Department of Labor infrastructure can't handle the volume or complexity of today's workforce situations.
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Carmen Ortiz
•THIS! I was doing freelance work and they treated it like I was trying to commit fraud when I reported it correctly. The system doesn't understand modern work arrangements AT ALL.
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MidnightRider
honestly the whole thing is designed to make you give up... they make it so hard to get benefits that probably half the people who qualify just stop trying
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Andre Laurent
•sadly true, my neighbor went through a 4 month appeal process and finally got approved but said it wasn't worth the stress
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