Just file online and see what happens. My neighbor worked at a church and got benefits last year so it's definitely possible.

I went through this exact situation with my sister who worked at a synagogue. The key thing is that under the CARES Act and subsequent legislation, religious organizations that previously opted out of unemployment insurance can now have their employees covered under certain circumstances. Your wife should definitely file through the NYS Department of Labor website - don't let the church discourage you from trying. When she files, she should list her employment accurately and let the system determine eligibility. The worst case is they deny it, but many religious workers have been successfully approved. Make sure she has all her pay stubs and employment documentation ready when she applies.

Thanks everyone. I'm going to log into my.ny.gov tonight and compare my payment history with the 1099-G. Better to get this sorted out now than deal with problems later.

I went through this same situation last year! One thing that really helped me was keeping detailed records throughout the year. When you're checking your payment history on my.ny.gov, also look for any weeks where you had partial earnings reported - those can sometimes cause confusion on the 1099-G amounts. Also, if you had state taxes withheld too (which is separate from federal), make sure you're accounting for that correctly on your NY state return. The good news is that if you did have the 10% federal withholding, you're probably in decent shape tax-wise unless you had other significant income during the year.

good luck with this whole mess, the unemployment system is so confusing for first-timers

I went through something similar last year when my company "restructured" (aka laid off half the staff). As long as you stick to the facts - that you were laid off due to restructuring - you should be fine. The NYS DOL will contact your former employer to verify the reason for separation, so don't overthink it. Just be honest about what happened. Also, make sure you have your W-2s and pay stubs ready when you apply - they'll ask for wage information from your previous employers. The whole process took about 2-3 weeks for me to get approved and start receiving benefits.

Just make sure when you file that you report your separation as 'lack of work' or 'layoff' and not 'quit' since that was your most recent job. Also be prepared to do weekly claims and job search activities once you're approved.

Based on what everyone's saying here, it sounds like you should definitely apply! I went through something similar a few months ago - got laid off from my main job but had quit a different job earlier that year. The NYS Department of Labor rep I spoke with confirmed that they only care about your most recent separation for eligibility purposes. Since you were laid off due to lack of work, that's considered involuntary and qualifies you. Just make sure you have all your employment documentation ready when you file, including your separation notice from the restaurant. Good luck!

The system is so confusing for young people trying to enter the workforce! My daughter had similar questions when she was in high school. Even if he doesn't qualify now, tell him to keep track of his earnings and work history because it might help him later if he faces unemployment after building up more work experience.

One thing worth mentioning is that even though your brother probably won't qualify for regular unemployment benefits due to insufficient work history, he might want to look into other resources for young workers in New York. Some counties have youth employment programs or workforce development services that can help with job placement when hours get cut. Also, if his employer reduced his hours significantly, he could potentially look for a second part-time job to make up the income difference while building that work history for future unemployment eligibility.