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I had major issues getting through to NYS Department of Labor when I had questions about my weekly claims. Spent hours on hold just to get disconnected. Eventually found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that actually got me through to an agent in like 15 minutes. They have a video demo showing how it works: https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI. Saved me so much frustration trying to reach someone at the unemployment office.
The whole system is such a mess honestly. They make it so complicated when it should be simple - you're unemployed, you need money, here's your benefits. Instead it's endless forms and certifications and job search requirements that half the time don't even make sense for your industry.
overpayments are THE WORST part of this whole system... they can come out of nowhere months later and suddenly you owe thousands. I got hit with one because apparently I was supposed to refuse standby work that I didn't even know was available?? Makes no sense
just so you know the whole system is designed to deny people benefits whenever possible. even if you have a legitimate reason for quitting they'll probably try to find some technicality to reject your claim. i quit because of unsafe conditions and they still made me jump through hoops for months
If you're having trouble getting through to NYS Department of Labor to check on your claim status or get questions answered, I used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me reach an actual agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Was way easier than trying to call myself and getting hung up on constantly.
Oliver Fischer
The whole unemployment system is so confusing!! Why can't they just make it simple and say exactly how long you need to work instead of all this base period nonsense. I'm in the same boat as you OP and stressing out about whether I'll qualify.
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Natasha Ivanova
Just to add some specifics - for 2025, the minimum wage requirement in your base period is $2,800 total, and you need wages in at least 2 quarters of your base period. With 18 months of work at $18/hour, you're definitely over both thresholds. File immediately because there's a waiting week and you want to get your claim processed as soon as possible.
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Connor Byrne
•Perfect, thank you for the specific numbers! Filing right now.
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