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.

Apply anyway! Even if they fire you, you should file your claim right away. The adjudication process will determine if your attendance issues constitute misconduct. Don't assume you're disqualified - let NYS Department of Labor make that determination based on all the facts.

I went through something similar last year. The important thing to understand is that NYS Department of Labor distinguishes between different types of misconduct. Simple tardiness due to childcare issues often doesn't rise to the level of "willful misconduct" that would disqualify you. I'd recommend documenting everything - keep records of your childcare provider's schedule changes, any daycare closures, doctor visits for your child, etc. When you apply, be completely honest about the circumstances. Many parents face these exact challenges and the system does recognize legitimate childcare conflicts as different from just being irresponsible. Also, even if you're initially denied, the appeals process gives you a chance to present your case more thoroughly with all your documentation.

One thing to keep in mind is that your unemployment benefits will be taxable income when you file your taxes next year, even though they're based on gross wages. So you might want to consider having taxes withheld from your weekly payments to avoid owing money later.

This is really helpful information everyone! I'm in a similar situation and was also confused about the gross vs net distinction. @Liam Fitzgerald - with your $52k gross income, you should be looking at a decent weekly benefit amount since NYS caps out at $504/week maximum. The formula is roughly 50% of your average weekly wage during your highest earning quarter in the base period, so you'll want to look at your quarterly earnings to get a better estimate of what to expect.