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The unemployment system is so messed up honestly. They make it seem like there's all these different categories but really it just comes down to whether they want to approve you or not. I've seen people get denied for the stupidest reasons and others get approved when they probably shouldn't have.
From my experience, the most straightforward cases are mass layoffs, plant closures, and end of temporary assignments. Individual terminations get more scrutiny. Make sure you have documentation of your separation and be honest about the circumstances when you file.
Just to add - you also have to be able and available for work and actively looking. That means registering with the job search system and documenting your search activities. The job search requirement is 3 work search activities per week unless you're on standby with your employer.
I had trouble reaching NYS Department of Labor during peak unemployment but found this service called Claimyr at claimyr.com that helped me get through to an agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Really helped when the phone lines were constantly busy.
The appeal process for wrongful denial can take several weeks but it's definitely worth fighting if you were truly laid off. Make sure you keep filing your weekly claims even while the appeal is pending - you can get backpay if you win. Also document everything about your job search in case they ask about that during the appeal hearing.
Javier Cruz
The whole unemployment system is a social issue! When businesses lay people off in waves like they've been doing, it creates this massive burden on NYS Department of Labor that they're just not equipped to handle efficiently. Then we all suffer with delays while they scramble to catch up.
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CosmicCowboy
•You're right that sudden increases in unemployment create systemic challenges. The good news is that even when processing is delayed, benefits are typically backdated to your filing date once approved.
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Emma Wilson
I experienced something similar during the 2008 recession when I was laid off from manufacturing. Took almost 2 months to get my first payment because so many people were filing at once. The social aspect definitely impacts individual claims - when everyone in your industry or region gets hit at the same time, the system gets overwhelmed.
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