Make sure your employer gives you all the right paperwork when they lay you off. Sometimes companies try to make it seem like you quit or got fired for performance issues to avoid their unemployment insurance rates going up. Document everything and keep copies of any layoff notices or communications about the reduction in force.

Hey Ellie, I went through this same situation last year and wanted to share a few tips that helped me. First, don't wait until your last day to gather your documents - start collecting pay stubs, your Social Security card, and employment records now while you still have access to everything. The NYS DOL website has a helpful checklist of what you'll need. Also, if your company offers any severance package, make sure you understand how that might affect your unemployment benefits timing. Some severance payments can delay when your benefits start. The good news is that retail workers definitely qualify as long as you meet the wage requirements, and 8 months should be enough work history. Hang in there - the process seems overwhelming at first but it's really not too bad once you get started.

I had trouble getting through to NYS Department of Labor when I needed to report wage information for a former employee's claim. Spent hours on hold trying to reach someone. Finally used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that connects you directly to unemployment agents by phone. They have a demo video at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Made the whole process so much easier than trying to call the regular number.

Don't forget you also have to pay into the disability benefits fund if you have employees in NY - that's separate from unemployment tax but also required

Wait, what about if you're collecting disability? I thought you could get both but maybe I'm wrong about that?

Another important disqualifier that hasn't been mentioned is if you're receiving severance pay - depending on how it's structured, it might delay or reduce your benefits. Also, if you were working under the table or getting paid in cash without proper tax reporting, you might not have enough documented earnings to qualify. And just to add to what others said about students - you can claim benefits if you're willing to drop out or reduce your course load to accept suitable work, but if you're not available because of class schedules, that could be a problem. The key thing is always being "able, available, and actively seeking work.

Just checking in - any progress with your claim? Were you able to reach anyone?

This is such a common issue with NYSDOL and it's incredibly frustrating! I went through something similar last year where they had completely wrong wage information. A few things that helped me: 1. When you speak with the wage investigation unit, ask them to send you a copy of the wage records they have on file from each employer - sometimes you can see exactly what's missing or incorrect. 2. If you worked for multiple employers during your base period, make sure ALL of them properly reported your wages. I found out one of my part-time jobs never submitted their quarterly reports. 3. Document every phone call - date, time, who you spoke with, and what they said. This helped when I had to escalate further up the chain. The good news is that once they actually investigate, it usually gets resolved pretty quickly. The wage investigation process is much more thorough than just having a regular rep look at your uploaded documents. Hang in there!

I'm so sorry you're going through this stress - the physical symptoms from unemployment anxiety are real and brutal. I went through something similar last year when they denied my claim despite having clear W-2s showing I earned $5,400 in my base period. What finally worked for me was getting super organized with my documentation and being extremely persistent. A few things that helped: 1) I calculated my own base period earnings quarter by quarter and made a simple spreadsheet showing exactly what I earned when, 2) I sent everything certified mail so they couldn't claim they "lost" my documents again, and 3) I kept detailed notes of every phone call including agent names and ID numbers. The hearing request someone mentioned above is crucial - even if your reconsideration goes through, having that hearing request on file puts legal pressure on them to actually review your case properly instead of just rubber-stamping another denial. Stay strong and don't let them wear you down. You earned those benefits and deserve them. The system is broken but you can still win if you're persistent and organized. 💪

Mason, I'm so sorry you're dealing with this mess. The same thing happened to me - they "miscalculated" my earnings and denied me even though I had clear paystubs showing I made over $4,000 in my base period. The stress is absolutely horrible and I totally get the physical symptoms you're experiencing. What finally got mine resolved was using a combination of approaches: I filed both a Request for Reconsideration AND a Request for Hearing at the same time (like others mentioned), but what really made the difference was using claimyr.com to actually get through to a specialist who could fix it in real time. I was skeptical at first but after 3 weeks of getting nowhere with regular calls, I got a callback in about 45 minutes and the agent corrected my wage calculation during the call. My payments started within 4 days. Document everything you're doing - every call, every form you send, every interaction. Send your reconsideration documents certified mail so they can't claim they lost them again. And don't let them gaslight you - you KNOW what you earned, and you have the paystubs to prove it. You're going to get through this. The system is designed to make you give up, but you have rights and you've earned those benefits. Stay strong! 💪