Can you get unemployment if you quit for medical reasons - NYS Department of Labor eligibility question?

Yes, you can potentially qualify for unemployment if you quit for compelling health reasons! NYS Department of Labor recognizes 'good cause' for voluntary separations, including medical conditions that make continuing work impossible or dangerous. You'll need to provide medical documentation showing your condition prevented you from performing your job duties. The key is proving you tried to resolve the situation with your employer first (which you did by requesting accommodation). When you file your claim, be very detailed about the medical necessity and your employer's refusal to accommodate.

same thing happened to my brother in law, he quit because of his diabetes and couldnt work nights anymore, took like 2 months but he got approved

The process isn't automatic though - your claim will likely go into adjudication while NYS Department of Labor reviews your medical documentation and contacts your former employer. Make sure you have: 1) Medical records clearly stating work restrictions, 2) Documentation of accommodation requests, 3) Employer's written or documented refusal to accommodate. File your weekly claims even during adjudication to avoid delays. If initially denied, you have appeal rights.

Been through this nightmare with NYS Department of Labor - they make you jump through hoops even with legitimate medical reasons!! Had to provide THREE different doctor letters before they believed my carpal tunnel was real. The whole system assumes you're lying until proven otherwise.

If you're having trouble reaching NYS Department of Labor to check on your claim status during adjudication, I found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get through to an actual agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Really saved me from sitting on hold for hours when I needed to submit additional medical documentation for my own health-related quit.

I went through almost the exact same situation with a shoulder injury from repetitive motions at my assembly line job. NYS Department of Labor did approve my claim, but here's what really helped: I made sure my doctor's letter specifically mentioned that continuing the work would "aggravate" or "worsen" my condition - those seem to be key phrases they look for. Also document EVERYTHING with your employer - save those emails about requesting accommodation! The process took about 6 weeks for me, but I got approved retroactively. Hang in there, you have a legitimate case with the medical documentation and accommodation refusal.

I'm currently going through something similar - had to quit my retail job due to severe arthritis flare-ups that made standing for 8+ hours impossible. My manager kept scheduling me for long shifts despite my doctor's note recommending limited standing time. I just filed my unemployment claim last week and included all my medical records, the accommodation request emails, and my manager's response saying they "couldn't make special arrangements." The NYS Department of Labor website actually has a specific section about voluntary quit for medical reasons under their "good cause" guidelines - it really helped me understand what documentation I needed. Fingers crossed we both get approved! The financial stress while waiting is awful but it sounds like you have a strong case with the medical documentation and your employer's refusal to accommodate.