I went through something very similar when my company was acquired in 2023. After 12 years there, they offered me a position with 25% less pay and called it "market realignment." I was terrified about whether I'd qualify for unemployment if I turned it down. What really helped me was documenting EVERYTHING from the moment we heard about the acquisition. I kept emails, meeting notes, even wrote down conversations with my supervisor about the changes coming. When I eventually had to apply for benefits after rejecting their offer, having all that documentation made a huge difference. The key thing I learned is that NY treats these buyout situations case-by-case, but if you can show the new offer was substantially worse than your previous position (not just salary but total compensation package), you have a good chance of getting approved. It took about 6 weeks for my claim to be fully processed, but I did get approved. Your relative should start gathering their current pay stubs, benefits information, and any communications about the buyout right now, even if it's still just rumors. Being prepared ahead of time will make things so much smoother if they do end up needing to file a claim.

Just wanted to add one more thing that might be helpful - if your relative does end up in this situation, they should also check if their company has any kind of retention bonus or severance package they might be entitled to. Sometimes during acquisitions, companies will offer these to long-term employees even if they're not legally required to. Also, I'd suggest they start networking and updating their resume now, just in case. With 25 years of experience, they're probably very valuable in their field, and having other options lined up can give them more confidence to reject a lowball offer if it comes to that. The unemployment benefits are definitely there as a safety net, but having multiple backup plans is always the best approach. Hopefully the new owners will recognize the value of experienced employees and not make drastic cuts!

This thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm actually going through something similar right now - my company just announced layoffs starting next month and I'm likely to be affected. Reading everyone's experiences has really clarified the key questions I need to ask HR. The distinction between "wages in lieu of notice" vs actual severance seems crucial for timing benefits. I'm also going to make sure to ask about any work restrictions during the severance period since that could affect the "available for work" requirement. One thing I'm planning to do based on the advice here is file my unemployment claim immediately when the separation happens, even before severance starts, just to get the process moving. Has anyone had experience with how long it typically takes for the initial claim to be processed in NY? I'm trying to plan out my timeline and budget accordingly. Thanks to everyone who shared their real experiences - this is exactly the kind of practical advice you can't find on official websites!

This has been such an incredibly comprehensive discussion! I'm actually in a somewhat similar situation - my company has been hinting at "restructuring" and I want to be prepared just in case. Reading through all these experiences has been like getting a crash course in severance and unemployment benefits that I never knew I needed. The key insights I'm taking away are: 1) The critical distinction between "wages in lieu of notice" vs true severance payments, 2) How payment structure (lump sum vs installments) can dramatically affect benefit timing, 3) The importance of checking for work restrictions in severance agreements, and 4) Filing unemployment claims immediately regardless of severance status. One question I have for those who've navigated this - did you find it helpful to start researching and preparing documentation before you were actually laid off, or is that just creating unnecessary stress? I'm torn between wanting to be prepared and not wanting to borrow trouble. Also really appreciate the mention of services like Claimyr for actually reaching DOL representatives - the idea of spending hours on hold during an already stressful time sounds awful. Thanks to everyone who shared their real experiences here!

This is so frustrating but you're definitely not alone! I had this exact same thing happen to me about 2 weeks ago - sat there for an hour and a half like an idiot waiting for someone who never showed. Here's what worked for me: immediately take screenshots of EVERYTHING (the meeting room, your confirmation email, timestamps), then call the Virtual Meeting Support line at 518-457-2299. They can actually check if the agent logged in and will mark it as "agency error" in your file - this is super important so they can't blame you! Also file a complaint on the DOL website under "Contact Us" > "Technical Issues" rather than trying to reschedule normally. Got my meeting rescheduled in 3 days and no issues with benefits. The system is completely broken but don't let them flip this on you when it's clearly their fault. Document everything and use these specific channels - you got this! 💪

This is becoming such a widespread problem it's honestly ridiculous! Same exact thing happened to me last Friday - waited for over 75 minutes and nobody from DOL ever showed up. I was so stressed thinking I'd get penalized for "missing" a meeting that I never actually missed! Thanks to everyone sharing their experiences and solutions here - this thread is pure gold! I immediately took screenshots of everything (meeting room, confirmation email, timestamps) and called that Virtual Meeting Support line at 518-457-2299 that multiple people mentioned. Game changer! They confirmed the agent never logged in and marked it as "agency error" in my file right away. Also filed under "Technical Issues" on the DOL website instead of trying to reschedule normally. Got rescheduled within 2 business days and they even added a note that the missed meeting was due to technical issues on their end. The documentation is KEY because they will absolutely try to blame us if we don't have proof. It's completely unacceptable that we have to become unemployment system experts just to protect ourselves from their technical failures, but at least we're helping each other navigate this broken mess. Seriously grateful for this community! 🙏

I'm a nursing student in my final semester and wanted to share some additional financial resources that haven't been mentioned yet! First, check if your nursing program participates in the **Nursing Student Loan Forgiveness Program** through your state - New York has several options that can forgive substantial portions of your student loans if you work in certain facilities after graduation. Also, look into **hospital extern programs** - these are different from regular student positions and are specifically designed for nursing students in their later clinical rotations. The pay is usually excellent ($18-25/hour) and the scheduling is built around your school commitments. Most major hospital systems in NY offer these programs. One thing that really helped me was joining nursing student Facebook groups and online communities specific to New York - students constantly share information about job opportunities, emergency scholarships, and grant deadlines that you won't find through official channels. The networking alone has been invaluable. Finally, if you haven't already, apply for **FAFSA emergency aid** through your school's financial aid office. With the current economic climate, there's been a lot more emergency funding made available for students who had to leave jobs for education. Some schools can process emergency aid requests within 48-72 hours. The nursing shortage is real and hospitals are investing heavily in students right now. You're going to have incredible job prospects when you graduate! This temporary financial stress will definitely pay off.

I'm a current nursing student who just finished my first year, and I want to echo what others have said about exploring all the healthcare-specific financial options available to nursing students. The regular unemployment route is definitely challenging, but there are so many nursing-specific resources that people don't know about! One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is **clinical site scholarships** - many of the hospitals and healthcare facilities where you'll do your clinical rotations offer small scholarships ($500-2000) specifically for students rotating through their units. Ask your clinical coordinator about these opportunities as you progress through your rotations. Also, check with your local **American Association of Critical-Care Nurses (AACN)** chapter and other nursing specialty organizations - they often have emergency grants for students facing financial hardship. I received a $1,500 emergency grant from my local AACN chapter last year that I never would have known about without asking. The **National Student Nurses' Association (NSNA)** also has scholarship opportunities throughout the year, not just the typical fall deadlines. Their foundation offers several "second chance" scholarships for students who missed earlier deadlines or are facing unexpected financial challenges. You made the absolute right choice switching to nursing - the job market is incredible right now and the financial stability after graduation will be worth this temporary struggle. Don't give up on exploring all these options! The nursing community is incredibly supportive of students, especially those who are career changers bringing valuable life experience to the profession.

I'm so sorry you're going through this - it's frustrating how many companies try to avoid their responsibilities by misclassifying workers. Based on everything you've described (company laptop, required office hours, controlled schedule), you have a really strong case for being misclassified as a contractor when you should have been treated as an employee. I'd definitely start the employment status determination process with NYS Department of Labor right away since it can take several weeks. In the meantime, don't forget to apply for any emergency assistance programs in your county - many have rent relief or food assistance that can help while you're waiting. Also, start gathering every piece of documentation you can find: emails about schedules, any employee handbook or policies they gave you, training materials, the laptop agreement, anything showing how they controlled your work methods rather than just setting deadlines. The more evidence you have of their control over HOW you worked (not just WHAT you delivered), the stronger your case will be. You worked there regularly and they treated you like an employee - you absolutely deserve unemployment benefits!

I'm dealing with a very similar situation right now! I've been working as a "freelance" graphic designer for a company for almost a year, but they provided all my software, required me to use their templates and brand guidelines, set my daily schedule, and even had me attend their weekly team meetings. When I saw your post, it made me realize I should probably look into this misclassification thing too. The advice about documenting everything is spot on - I just went through my emails and found tons of messages where they dictated exactly how and when I should complete projects. It's so frustrating that companies do this to avoid paying into unemployment insurance and then leave us hanging when they end our contracts. Definitely start that determination process ASAP, and don't let them get away with treating you like an employee while calling you a contractor!