Based on your work history, you might actually qualify! With 8 months at $15/hour for 20-25 hours weekly, that's roughly $300-375 per week in gross wages. Over 8 months, you likely earned well over the $2,600 base period requirement. Your weekly benefit would be 50% of your average weekly wage during your highest quarter, so potentially around $150-180 per week rather than the $104 minimum. Definitely worth applying - you can do it online at my.ny.gov and it only takes about 30 minutes to complete the initial application.

Also keep in mind that you need to be unemployed through no fault of your own to qualify. If you were laid off or your hours were cut, that should work in your favor. But if you quit voluntarily, you might face additional hurdles. When you apply, they'll ask for your reason for separation from employment, so make sure you're honest about the circumstances. The good news is that even if your initial claim gets denied, you can appeal the decision if you think it was wrong.

Just keep filing your weekly claims religiously, even if nothing is happening with your main claim. I learned that the hard way - missed a week and had to do all this paperwork to get it back. Also make sure you're doing your job searches because they'll ask about that later.

I'm in a similar situation - filed my claim about 10 days ago and still haven't heard anything back. The online portal just says "pending" with no timeline. What's frustrating is that there's no way to know if you're in the normal 2-3 week processing window or if something is wrong with your application. I've been calling the helpline but can never get through. Has anyone found a way to actually speak to someone at the NYS Department of Labor?

Been through this exact same thing! I was so paranoid when I started my new job and saw the unemployment office contacted my employer. Turns out it's literally just a routine verification form - they're closing the loop on your claim to make sure you're not still collecting while working. My boss didn't even mention it to me, HR just handled it like any other paperwork. You're overthinking it (I did too!) but there's really nothing to stress about here.

I went through this same anxiety when I started my new position last year. The unemployment office sent a standard "Request for Separation Information" form to my employer, but it's literally just asking for basic employment verification - start date, wage, etc. My HR department told me they get these all the time and it's completely routine. They're not sharing details about your unemployment claim or making any judgments. It's just the state closing out your file to prevent overpayments. Your new employer won't think twice about it, trust me!

my cousin got laid off last month and honestly she seems happier job hunting than she was at her toxic workplace. maybe thats what they mean about some unemployment being ok?

This is fascinating - I never realized there was a distinction between "full employment" and 0% unemployment. @Laura Lopez thanks for explaining that full employment just means people can find work in a reasonable time frame. It makes me wonder though - how does NYS Department of Labor measure whether we're at that "healthy" unemployment level? Do they have specific metrics they track beyond just the basic unemployment rate? And for those of us dealing with claim processing delays, is there any way to know if our situation is factored into these economic calculations, or are we just statistics in a different category?

I'm in a very similar situation right now - got a workers comp settlement for a wrist injury from my factory job about 3 months ago. The settlement money definitely doesn't count as wages for unemployment purposes. I filed my claim right after getting medical clearance to return to work with restrictions (no repetitive motions). NYS Department of Labor approved me without any issues related to the settlement. The main thing they care about is that you're able to work within your restrictions and actively looking for jobs that accommodate them. I keep a detailed log of all my applications and note when employers can't accommodate my restrictions. It's been a slow process finding work but the UI benefits have been a lifesaver while I search. Don't let the settlement money worry you - focus on documenting your job search efforts within your physical limitations.

I'm dealing with a similar situation right now - got a workers comp settlement for a back injury from my construction job about 2 months ago. From what I've learned through this process, the settlement absolutely should not disqualify you from unemployment benefits. The key things NYS Department of Labor looks at are: 1) Are you medically cleared to work (which you are), 2) Are you actively seeking work within your restrictions, and 3) Are you available for suitable employment. Since your doctor cleared you for work with restrictions, you meet the medical requirement. Just make sure when you file that you're completely honest about your restrictions and document every job application thoroughly. I've been keeping a spreadsheet with company names, positions applied for, dates, and notes about whether they can accommodate my lifting restrictions. It's definitely frustrating when employers won't consider you because of the restrictions, but that actually helps your case with unemployment - it shows you're actively looking but facing legitimate barriers due to your work-related injury. Don't let the settlement money stress you out, it's not considered income for UI purposes in New York.