Alternate Base Period Not Calculated in Determination (file, receive, claim)

[MrBoss]

I'm confused. I received a monetary determination letter that said I wasn't eligible (the phone rep said that would happen because my wages from another state hadn't been calculated yet). That letter had the alternate base year calculated and a form where I could request to use the alternate base year. I then received the determination letter that has the wages from the other state calculated, but they didn't calculate for the alternate base year nor was there a form to request it. My benefit amount would be higher if it was used. Why wasn't it calculated this time? Can I request that they calculate it and use those wages? This is in NY.

[Chyvan]

You've got prior claim history, and telling your story and leaving that out like this to be treated in a vacuum is misleading.

Originally Posted by MrBoss

This is in NY.

It's not JUST NY. You're talking about wages from another state.

[MrBoss]

I said this is NY because that's where I filed the claim. I have some NY wages but, the majority of my wages are coming from NJ. I didn't include that part in my initial post because I didn't think it mattered in regards to my question. And yes, I do have prior claim history, but I also didn't think that mattered in regards to this claim.

[Chyvan]

Sure it does. If you have NJ wages, go file in NJ, they pay way better than NY and have a better part-time UI formula.

Tell your story accurately and completely, or you're not going to get answers that can make a big difference in your life.

[MrBoss]

I actually was going to file in NJ initially, but the last time I did, it took a whole lot longer than my experiences with NY, so I went with NY. So a few things:

1. Back to my original question, can I request NY use the alternate base year even though they didn't calculate it in the 2nd determination? I believe I saw something on their website that said you could even if it's not included in the determination.

2. If I can use the alternate base year wages with NY, it seems that that is the better option. Reading up on how NJ works, it seems that if you're eligible with the base year, they don't consider the alternate base years (they have 2 different alternate base years that they can use). My NY alternate base year wages are more than my NJ base year so that would make NY the better option unless somehow they would consider one of the base years (NJ alternate base year #2 is my highest out of everything).

[Chyvan]

Originally Posted by MrBoss

1. Back to my original question, can I request NY use the alternate base year even though they didn't calculate it in the 2nd determination? I believe I saw something on their website that said you could even if it's not included in the determination.

Don't know. You want to use wages from two states. The rules might be different when that happens.

Originally Posted by MrBoss

it seems that that is the better option.

You don't know this. Most times when you use wages from two states, your weekly benefit doesn't hardly change, and you just burn up a whole lot of quarters of wages for absolutely nothing, and you handicap yourself if you need a 2nd-year claim, and when two states are involved, then you lose out on a back-to-back claim if things in your life don't improve.

Seriously, do the math, and stop guessing, or post your wages by quarter, by state and someone might do the math for you so that you make the right choice.

Originally Posted by MrBoss

My NY alternate base year wages are more than my NJ base year so that would make NY the better option

Again, you don't know. NJ has a better formula at 60%, and just because you have more in your base period with NY isn't the end all. High wage quarter makes a difference too.

Originally Posted by MrBoss

unless somehow they would consider one of the base years (NJ alternate base year #2 is my highest out of everything).

You might be able to cause that to happen by just waiting until Oct 7 to file. Just waiting 4 weeks might make all the difference in the world.

Stop trying to get benefits fast, and make good choices. Look, you keep losing your job all the time, and YOU need to learn this stuff because you need that UI money more than most people that post here. Most come here once, and are never seen again. This is like your third time so if anyone is having a rash of bad luck, you're it.

[MrBoss]

Chyvan,

You're being very snappy and rude and I'm not understanding why. We've spoken multiple times in the past and it you were always very helpful and pleasant, so I'm not sure where the attitude is coming from. Yes, I need to learn this stuff which is why I'm asking here from people who may be knowledgable because this is what this forum is for and also because these questions came up Friday after business hours when I got the letter and I won't be able to speak to someone until tomorrow. And yes, I've came here several times asking for advice due to being out of work a few times. A few being my fault and other times, such as now, being because of lack of work due to the nature of the work that I've been doing. You're making assumptions and comments about things you don't know. I've done the ALL the math. That's why I said it "seems" because I'm going off my calculations and research and came here to try to fill in the gaps of what I don't know. I'm not trying to get benefits fast. All I asked is whether or not I could use the alternate base period. You decided to take it further and make judgements on my life and my "bad luck". I'd prefer you not comment on my posts at all if you're going to be rude.

[Chyvan]

Originally Posted by MrBoss

You're being very snappy and rude and I'm not understanding why. We've spoken multiple times in the past and it you were always very helpful and pleasant, so I'm not sure where the attitude is coming from.

The attitude is because you have a complex situation. You are posting about NY, but NJ is in play. You want benefits fast, and be damned what that might cost you in the future.

I help people that help themselves. I don't want to help people that are dead set on a course of action with half the facts. If you want to do things your way rather than the BEST way with all the information, you don't need me.

Originally Posted by MrBoss

You're making assumptions and comments about things you don't know.

What assumptions? I'm assuming that you're not looking at the big picture. Are you going to tell me I'm wrong? Maybe getting that letter from NY and not calling about it, is the right decision, and you should get your money from NJ.

But I don't know that because you're keeping secrets so I have to guess. My assumptions are so that you tell the full story and make the BEST decision for you.

Originally Posted by MrBoss

I've done the ALL the math. That's why I said it "seems" because I'm going off my calculations and research and came here to try to fill in the gaps of what I don't know.

But you didn't tell us that. You only told us about your denial from NY. You didn't say anything about the wages from NJ until pressed. You didn't want anyone filling in any gaps. If someone knew how you could get the alternate base period in NY, you'd be doing it. I'd have never known about the other stuff that might make a huge difference to you, and I still don't know the whole story.

Originally Posted by MrBoss

I'm not trying to get benefits fast.

You said as much in the 5th post, "the last time I did, it took a whole lot longer than my experiences with NY." What kind of conclusion is someone to draw from a statement like that. Then you proceeded to keep focusing on NY in your questions.

Originally Posted by MrBoss

All I asked is whether or not I could use the alternate base period. You decided to take it further and make judgements on my life and my "bad luck".

I'm taking it further because I don't think you realize the "cost" that comes with using the alternate base period when you don't have to. If you think that I'm being rude by trying to put as much money in your pocket with the facts available and reasonable predictions from a crystal ball, then you have a different definition of "rude" than I do.

I only wish there had been someone like me telling me what to do when I had the claim from hell.

If you just want to focus on your question, I do NOT know if NY will let you use an alternate base period when wages from two states are in play.

Knowing that it's a crap shoot, why don't you try to make the best and probably better deal by making a NJ claim work for you. Then if things don't get better for you, you can hit up NY for some more money as your current quarters age into the standard base period, and not burn up quarters of wages for what looks like not a very good reason.

[MrBoss]

Originally Posted by Chyvan

The attitude is because you have a complex situation. You are posting about NY, but NJ is in play. You want benefits fast, and be damned what that might cost you in the future.

I help people that help themselves. I don't want to help people that are dead set on a course of action with half the facts. If you want to do things your way rather than the BEST way with all the information, you don't need me.

I wasn't dead set on anything. Until the post that you got snappy with me in and your last post, you didn't really give too many details as to why the path you were leading me down was better than the path I was trying to go down besides that NJ's pay more. My response to that was the NY alternate seemed like the best way (because the calculation came out to be more than the NJ base which I assumed was what I'd get based on their website). I wasn't closed off to your suggestions. You just hadn't gave much detail at that point.

Originally Posted by Chyvan

What assumptions? I'm assuming that you're not looking at the big picture. Are you going to tell me I'm wrong? Maybe getting that letter from NY and not calling about it, is the right decision, and you should get your money from NJ.

But I don't know that because you're keeping secrets so I have to guess. My assumptions are so that you tell the full story and make the BEST decision for you.

I may have not seen the big picture, but I don't think you said enough for me to get the big picture until you got snappy. Again, the only thing you really said up until that point was that NJ paid more. And you make it seem as if I was intentionally hiding something. I said that wages were coming from another state. I didn't specify because I didn't know it made a difference as to which state it was. Now I know.

Originally Posted by Chyvan

But you didn't tell us that. You only told us about your denial from NY. You didn't say anything about the wages from NJ until pressed. You didn't want anyone filling in any gaps. If someone knew how you could get the alternate base period in NY, you'd be doing it. I'd have never known about the other stuff that might make a huge difference to you, and I still don't know the whole story.

Again, I mentioned the other wages but didn't specify the state. And again, I didn't do so because I didn't know it made a difference.

Originally Posted by Chyvan

You said as much in the 5th post, "the last time I did, it took a whole lot longer than my experiences with NY." What kind of conclusion is someone to draw from a statement like that. Then you proceeded to keep focusing on NY in your questions.

When I said I was going with NY because my experiences with them have been quicker in the past, it's because I didn't know that there were any disadvantages to filing with NY, so yes, I was going to choose the one that was faster. Now that you've explained that there could be some drawbacks, I have no problem taking more time.

Originally Posted by Chyvan

If you just want to focus on your question, I do NOT know if NY will let you use an alternate base period when wages from two states are in play.

Knowing that it's a crap shoot, why don't you try to make the best and probably better deal by making a NJ claim work for you. Then if things don't get better for you, you can hit up NY for some more money as your current quarters age into the standard base period, and not burn up quarters of wages for what looks like not a very good reason.

This answer is informative.