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The unemployment tax system is such a scam anyway!!! Companies pay pennies compared to what they save by laying people off instead of keeping them employed. Meanwhile we're all scrambling to survive on half our wages. The whole system is designed to benefit employers not workers
Just to add some specifics - in NY the employer tax rate ranges from about 0.6% to 9.9% of their payroll depending on their experience rating. New employers start at around 3.4%. But again, this is totally separate from your claim process. Focus on gathering your employment documentation and be ready to file as soon as your last day of work happens.
why is the system so messed up that you have to choose between eating and following the rules?? like if someone gets hurt they should be able to get help without jumping through hoops. the whole thing is designed to screw people over
One thing to consider is whether your condition might improve enough to return to work. If there's a chance your back could get better with treatment, you might want to continue with unemployment while pursuing medical care. But if doctors are saying it's a permanent disability, then yes, you'll need to transition. Just document everything carefully and keep all medical records.
The NYS Department of Labor system is completely broken. They'll tell you 2-3 weeks but that's total BS. I know people who waited 2+ months just for an initial determination. And don't even get me started on trying to reach them by phone - it's designed to frustrate you into giving up.
I had trouble getting through to NYS Department of Labor when I needed help with my application. If you run into issues and can't reach anyone by phone, there's a service called Claimyr at claimyr.com that helped me get connected to an actual agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Way better than sitting on hold for hours.
Isaac Wright
The unemployment system in this state is such a joke! They make you jump through hoops and then half the time they side with the employer anyway even when they fired you for bogus reasons. I got denied initially when I was fired for 'poor performance' which was really just my boss not liking me. Had to appeal and it took 4 months to get approved. File anyway but don't get your hopes up that it'll be quick or easy.
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Lucy Taylor
•Ugh same experience here! Makes you wonder why we pay into the system if they make it so hard to actually get benefits.
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Connor Murphy
One thing I learned the hard way - make sure you're looking for work and keeping a job search log from day one, even while your claim is pending. NYS Department of Labor requires you to make at least 3 job contacts per week and they can ask for proof at any time. I almost got in trouble because I thought I didn't need to job search until my claim was approved.
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