Why would you be denied unemployment benefits by NYS Department of Labor?

There are several common reasons NYS Department of Labor denies claims. The big ones are: quitting without good cause, getting fired for misconduct, not meeting work history requirements, or not being able and available for work. Since you mentioned being laid off, they might be questioning whether it was truly a layoff or if there were performance issues. Did you receive any warnings or disciplinary actions before the separation?

The most common reasons for denial are: 1) Quitting without good cause 2) Being fired for misconduct 3) Not meeting work/wage requirements 4) Not being able and available for work 5) Failing job search requirements. For your situation with reduced hours, that could qualify as constructive dismissal if the reduction was substantial enough. NYS Department of Labor typically considers a 20% or more reduction in hours as potential good cause.

ugh the same thing happened to me last year!! they denied me even though i was clearly laid off. turns out my old boss told them i quit which was total BS. you definitely need to appeal this and get the employer's response to see what they said about your separation

You'll need documentation of your work schedule reduction. Save any texts, emails, or schedule changes your employer gave you. Also keep pay stubs showing the difference. The job search requirement is 3 activities per week and they do check now - keep detailed records in your online account.

Other reasons include not having enough wages in your base period, being an independent contractor instead of employee, or immigration status issues. They're also really strict about the able and available requirement - if you can't work full time or have restrictions on when you can work, that can disqualify you.

If you're having trouble getting through to NYS Department of Labor to understand the denial or file an appeal, I had success using a service called Claimyr at claimyr.com. They help you get connected to actual agents instead of sitting on hold forever. There's a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Really helped me when I was dealing with a similar denial situation.

I got denied last year because I couldn't prove I was looking for work in my field. Apparently applying to any random job doesn't count anymore - they want to see you're making reasonable efforts to find work similar to what you did before. Super frustrating because I was applying to everything I could find!

Don't give up! I got denied initially but won my appeal. The key is gathering all your documentation - pay stubs, termination letter, any texts or emails about the layoff. You only have 30 days to appeal so don't wait too long.

I had major issues reaching anyone at NYS Department of Labor when my claim got stuck in adjudication after I appealed a denial. Kept getting disconnected or put on hold forever. Finally used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that basically calls for you and gets you connected to an actual agent. They have a video demo showing how it works at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI. Saved me weeks of frustration trying to get through on my own.

another thing they deny you for is if you dont report other income correctly. Even like small freelance jobs or gig work has to be reported on your weekly claims or they'll hit you with an overpayment later

Don't forget about the waiting week! Even if you qualify you won't get paid for the first week. Also if you have any vacation pay or severance that could delay your benefits too.

I went through something similar and it's so frustrating when they don't give you clear details! One thing that helped me was requesting my full claim file through my.ny.gov - you can see exactly what your employer reported and what NYS Department of Labor based their decision on. Since you mentioned going from full hours to just 15 hours a week, that definitely sounds like constructive dismissal which should qualify you. Make sure you have documentation of your original schedule vs the reduced hours. Also, don't sleep on the appeal deadline - you only have 30 days from the determination date. I'd definitely recommend appealing and requesting a phone hearing where you can explain your side directly to a judge.