** The DOL identified some common issues that clients and attorneys have been filing reconsideration and/or hearing requests where the issues can be resolved easily and without taking such steps. If you are experiencing the following issues, please follow the new liaison procedure to expedite the claim instead of prolonging the process with reconsideration and hearings that likely are not necessary.
According to a representative from Governor Cuomo’s office, the below issues should go through the liaison process to avoid hearings and reconsideration requests where unnecessary:
-DOL employees are doing re-review to fix claims with more technical/ administrative (as opposed to substantive legal issues) issues before making claimants without legal issues go through a hearing process.
- This means that not all cases that are flagged by the DOL for processing require hearings and requests for reconsideration. the DOL is "working up" (re-reviewing) files prior to hearings to ensure potential errors in the submission are rectified to streamline and identify which cases actually do require hearings.
- The organization handling appeals and hearings is the UIAB which is a separate entity from the DOL. The DOL can facilitate communications with the UIAB, but questions regarding hearings and the process will likely need to be answered by the UIAB.
- The UIAB process is very paper heavy (as opposed to having the files readily available digitally) which is why many hearings did not start till end of May and hearings are still being processed.
-**The governor’s office emphasized that since PUA relies heavily on claimants’ affidavits, any claimant who had to send supplemental information to the DOL (including those waiting for determination because of missing documents as well as those who were automatically initially given the minimum PUA monetary amount ($182) and are truly entitled to more). Clients are advised to assume the DOL has their supplemental information as long as they sent in the requested documentation, and that the DOL has not re-reviewed their claim yet.**
-** Since many attorneys and clients requested reconsideration and/or hearings before this was clear to preserve rights and avoid missing deadlines, we should now use the liaison process to expedite claims with these issues.**
DOL FACT SHEETS
NY Forward - Returning to Work and Unemployment Insurance Fact Sheet (CLICK THE ARROW FOR THE PDF!)
What is the status of my claim? Fact Sheet (CLICK THE ARROW FOR THE PDF!)
Keybank Debit Card FAQ Fact Sheet [CLICK THE ARROW FOR THE PDF!]
Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) Fact Sheet [CLICK THE ARROW FOR THE PDF!]
Forfeit Days and Offsets Fact Sheet [CLICK THE ARROW FOR THE PDF!]
Filing a Claim FAQs Fact Sheet [CLICK THE ARROW FOR THE PDF!]
Examples of Email and Texts from DOL [CLICK THE ARROW FOR THE PDF!]