The Department of Labor has made some recent announcements that will certainly have an adverse effect on unemployed claimants. We hope you can share this information with your members and constituents.
To download the complete flyer, click here: https://volsprobono.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Completed-unemployment-policy-updates-flyer.pdf
Below are the three recent updates:
- As of 6/8/2021 – Work search requirements are back in effect. This means claimants must do three “work search” activities per week and report them/keep track of them. Activities include, but are not limited to: submitting job application, attending job seminars and job fairs, interviewing with potential employers and using the internet or telephone to research job opportunities, among other activities.
- As of 6/28/2021 – The waiting week has been reinstated. So, claimants will not receive benefits the first full week of a claim but must claim weekly benefits and full eligibility requirements.
- As of 7/4/2021 – Forfeiture penalties are reinstated. Forfeiture penalties are penalties applied to claimants who willfully make or have made a false statement/ misrepresentation to NYS DOL to receive benefits. Forfeiture penalties apply to eligible days claimants can collect benefits. For each forfeiture day, a claimant loses 25% of benefits. For forfeiture days are equivalent to one week of benefits.