Wait I thought there was like a 30 day rule or something? My cousin said you had to file within a month of losing your job or you couldn't get anything. Maybe that's different states though?

Don't worry Sydney, you haven't missed any deadline! In New York, there's no time limit for when you can first file your unemployment claim. The important thing to understand is that benefits only start from the week you actually file your application, not from when you first became unemployed. So those 6 weeks you've been out of work unfortunately won't be covered, but you can absolutely still file now and start receiving benefits going forward. Since your hours were cut to almost nothing, that could definitely qualify as "constructive dismissal" which would make you eligible. I'd recommend filing your claim online at the NYS DOL website today - the sooner you file, the sooner your benefits can start.

Nothing bad about it at all!! I filed when my restaurant closed during covid and it literally saved my life financially. The stigma is just old fashioned thinking.

Grace, please don't let outdated stigma prevent you from getting benefits you've earned! I work in HR and can tell you that filing for unemployment absolutely does not show up on background checks or hurt your employability. In fact, many employers understand that layoffs happen and it's completely normal. The only thing that might look bad to future employers is if you turn down reasonable job offers while collecting benefits, but as long as you're actively looking for work (which you have to document anyway), you're fine. File as soon as possible - you typically can't get benefits for weeks before you applied, so every day you wait is money lost. The NYS Department of Labor website walks you through everything step by step.

Same boat here, been doing the minimum 3 activities but maybe I need to do more? My adjudication officer mentioned something about 'good faith effort' during my phone interview.

From my experience, the most effective combo is direct applications + follow-up calls + visiting local career centers. I was stuck for 3 months just doing online applications, but once I started actually calling employers a few days after applying AND attending the free resume workshops at my local One-Stop Career Center, things picked up fast. The career center staff also helped me identify which job boards actually have real postings vs the fake ones that just collect your info. Also don't overlook LinkedIn networking - sending personalized messages to people in your field counts as a networking activity and sometimes leads to referrals.

This whole system is so backwards though. Like why should employers have to pay for unemployment when half the time people get fired for legitimate reasons? Just creates more costs for businesses trying to operate.

Thanks everyone for clarifying this! I had the same confusion when I started my first job. One thing to add - if you're ever unsure whether your employer is properly registered and paying UI taxes, you can also check your pay stub. While you won't see a deduction for unemployment insurance (since you don't pay it), legitimate employers will often list it in the "employer taxes" section or have it noted somewhere. Also, keep all your pay stubs - you'll need them if you ever have to file for unemployment benefits to prove your wages and work history.

Same thing happened to my cousin except it was for being late too many times instead of missing work completely. She still got her benefits after explaining the situation during the phone interview.

I work for a nonprofit that helps people navigate unemployment claims, and I can tell you that attendance-related terminations are evaluated case by case. The key factors NYS DOL considers are whether the absences were willful misconduct versus circumstances beyond your reasonable control. Document everything - transportation breakdowns, childcare emergencies, any medical issues. When you file your claim, be completely honest about the attendance issues but also clearly explain the underlying causes. Many people in similar situations do receive benefits, especially when they can show they made good faith efforts to maintain attendance despite legitimate obstacles.