I'm going through the exact same situation right now! My hours got cut from 32 to about 10 per week and when I quit because I couldn't pay my bills, they denied my claim for "voluntary quit without good cause." Reading all these success stories about late appeals and constructive dismissal is giving me so much hope - I had no idea these were even options! I'm about 6 weeks past my denial notice but it sounds like that's not necessarily the end of the road. The fact that so many people here have successfully argued that dramatic hour reductions constitute constructive dismissal is really encouraging. I've got pay stubs showing the huge drop in hours and some text messages from my manager about the schedule changes. Definitely going to try calling the appeals office directly this week like everyone's suggesting. It's so frustrating that they automatically call these situations "voluntary" when 10 hours a week isn't even enough to cover rent, let alone everything else. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences - you've given me the courage to fight this decision!

I'm dealing with a nearly identical situation and this thread has been incredibly helpful! My employer cut my hours from 36 to just 9 hours per week, and when I couldn't afford to stay, they denied my unemployment claim for "voluntary quit." I had no idea about constructive dismissal or that late appeals were possible until reading everyone's experiences here. I'm about 8 weeks past my denial notice, but seeing so many success stories gives me real hope. I have pay stubs showing the dramatic reduction and some emails where my supervisor kept saying the cuts were "just for a few weeks" but they never restored my hours. It's really encouraging to see that appeals judges seem to understand these situations much better than the initial reviewers. Going to call the appeals office tomorrow and explain that I genuinely thought I had no options after the denial. Thank you all for sharing your stories - you've shown me that 9 hours a week clearly isn't enough to survive on and that I shouldn't have to accept being labeled as someone who "voluntarily" quit when I was essentially forced out!

Don't forget you'll need to file weekly claims once your initial application is processed! That's a whole separate thing you have to do every week to actually get paid. And start keeping a job search log immediately because NYS Department of Labor requires you to be actively looking for work.

I just went through this process last month and wanted to add a few tips that really helped me. First, have your W-2s and final pay stubs ready - they'll ask for specific wage information and it's way easier if you have the documents in front of you. Second, when you get to the "reason for separation" section, there's usually a dropdown menu with options like "lack of work," "layoff," "discharged," etc. Since your position was eliminated due to budget cuts, "lack of work" is typically the right choice. Also, don't stress too much about being perfect - you can always call to correct minor mistakes, and they'll contact you if they need clarification on anything. The key is just being honest and thorough. Good luck with your claim!

This whole thread is a goldmine of information! As someone who's been lurking in this community for a while, I really appreciate how everyone jumped in to help Gabriel with specific phone numbers and strategies. The NY unemployment system is notorious for being impossible to reach, so having these direct contact methods saved in one place is incredibly valuable. Special shoutout to Eloise for providing all four cancellation options - that comprehensive list should be pinned somewhere! It's awesome to see the community come together like this to help each other navigate these bureaucratic nightmares.

Just wanted to say this thread is incredibly helpful! I'm new to dealing with NY unemployment and was dreading the thought of ever having to navigate their phone system. Reading through all these tips and seeing the specific numbers that actually work gives me so much more confidence. The 518-402-0205 number for hearings and the [email protected] email are going straight into my contacts. It's amazing how much time and frustration we can save each other by sharing this kind of practical information. Thanks to everyone who contributed their experiences - this is exactly the kind of community support that makes these government bureaucracy battles more manageable!

If you're having trouble getting through to NYS Department of Labor on the phone even when they're open, I had success using a service called Claimyr at claimyr.com. They help you get connected to an actual agent without waiting on hold forever. There's even a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Saved me hours of calling and getting busy signals.

Just wanted to add that if you need to speak to someone urgently about your claim, you can also try calling first thing in the morning when they reopen tomorrow (Tuesday). The lines are usually less busy right at 8 AM when they open. Also, make sure you have your Social Security number and PIN ready before calling to speed up the process. Good luck with your certification!

also make sure you're filing your weekly claims even if your initial claim is still pending! i made that mistake and it delayed everything even more

I just went through this same process last month! Here's what helped me: Once you're logged into my.ny.gov, look for the "Unemployment Services" section, then click on "UI Online Services." From there you should see options like "Claim Summary" and "Payment History" - that's where your status will show up. Mine showed "Pending - Adjudication" for about 2 weeks before it got approved. And yes, definitely start filing your weekly claims right away even while it's pending - you can't go back and claim those weeks later if you miss them. The whole process is frustrating but hang in there!