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This whole system is just another way the government squeezes small businesses! We pay taxes, we pay into unemployment, we follow all the rules, and then they punish us for normal business decisions. Meanwhile big corporations get bailouts when they lay off thousands. It's completely backwards.
The good news is that your rate will eventually come back down if you don't have more claims. NYS Department of Labor uses a rolling average so once those layoffs age out of the calculation period, your experience rating should improve. Just try to avoid any more claims if possible.
The NYS Department of Labor job search verification has gotten stricter this year. You need to make sure you're meeting all the requirements: 3 contacts per week, documenting the specific position you applied for, and keeping records of any follow-up. If you're still having issues, you can use a service like Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through to an actual NYS Department of Labor agent - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Much easier than trying to call yourself.
Wait I'm getting really confused now. Is federal unemployment tax the same as the taxes they take out of regular paychecks? And does this affect my job search log requirements at all? I've been doing my 3 job contacts per week but want to make sure I'm not missing anything important about taxes and my claim.
No, federal unemployment tax (FUTA) is completely separate from payroll taxes. It has nothing to do with your job search requirements. Keep doing your 3 job contacts per week as required by NYS Department of Labor. The tax withholding is just about income taxes on your benefits, not about maintaining eligibility.
Chloe Davis
If you're having trouble getting through to NYS Department of Labor by phone, I recently used a 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. Really helped when I needed to check on my claim status and couldn't get through the regular way.
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AstroAlpha
•Never heard of that but might be worth trying if the phone lines are as bad as everyone says
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Diego Chavez
Just make sure you keep filing your weekly claims even if your initial claim is still processing. A lot of people miss that step and then have issues getting their back payments. The system is pretty clear about it but people still mess it up somehow.
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