also seasonal workers usually qualify when the season ends, and temp workers qualify when their assignment ends if theyre not immediately placed somewhere else. the key is you have to be able and available to work and actively looking for new employment

Just want to add a few more scenarios that qualify - if you're dealing with domestic violence and need to leave your job for safety reasons, that's considered good cause. Also, if you have a medical condition that prevents you from doing your specific job duties (but you can still work other jobs), you may qualify. And for anyone wondering about part-time work - you can sometimes collect partial benefits if you're working reduced hours, as long as your weekly earnings don't exceed your benefit amount. The system is more flexible than people think in certain situations.

Another thing to keep in mind - if you do end up using the KeyBank card for a while, you can check your balance and transaction history online through their cardholder portal or by calling the customer service number on the back of the card. I found this really helpful for budgeting since unemployment payments come weekly. Also, if you ever have issues with the card (lost, stolen, damaged), KeyBank will rush you a replacement but it's good to have your account info written down somewhere safe just in case!

Just wanted to add my experience from last year - I initially got the KeyBank card but switched to direct deposit after about a month. The card worked fine, but I noticed my payments hit my bank account on Tuesdays with direct deposit versus Wednesday/Thursday with the card. That extra day or two really mattered when I was tight on money. Also, if you're planning to use the card at stores, some places might ask for ID since it's a government benefits card - totally normal but just wanted to give you a heads up so you're not caught off guard!

If your brother is having trouble reaching someone at NYS Department of Labor to ask about his specific situation, I used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get through to an actual agent when I couldn't get through on my own. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Might be worth trying if he wants to verify his eligibility directly with NYS Department of Labor instead of guessing.

The system is honestly ridiculous that a kid who loses their job can't get help just because they haven't worked long enough yet. Like what are they supposed to do in the meantime?

I had this exact same issue earlier this year! When your Key Bank account is closed due to overdrafts (not just expired), the system can't automatically send a new card. Your payment is probably sitting in limbo right now. Here's what I learned after going through this nightmare: 1. Call Key Bank first at 1-866-295-2955 to get confirmation that your account is closed and get a reference number 2. Then you HAVE to talk to someone at NYSDOL to have them reissue the payment - there's no automatic process for closed accounts 3. Ask them to switch you to direct deposit while you have them on the phone so this doesn't happen again 4. If you can't get through the normal way (and let's be real, you probably won't), I ended up using that Claimyr service people mentioned and it actually worked The good news is your money isn't lost - they hold it until you get it sorted. The bad news is you definitely need to make those calls. I know it's frustrating when rent is due, but once you get the right person on the phone it gets fixed pretty quickly. Hang in there!

I went through this EXACT situation about 8 months ago and it was such a headache! Your payment is definitely stuck in limbo right now since the system tried to deposit to your closed account. Here's what you need to do: 1. Call Key Bank at 1-866-295-2955 first to confirm your account status and get a reference number - this usually takes 15-20 mins on hold which is way better than NYSDOL 2. Then you absolutely MUST speak to someone at NYSDOL to have them manually reissue the payment. There's no automatic process when accounts are closed due to overdrafts vs just expired cards 3. While you have them on the phone, ask to switch to direct deposit for future payments so you never have to deal with Key Bank again 4. Your money isn't lost - they hold it for about 30 days before potentially sending it back, so you have time but don't wait too long I know the phone situation is impossible, but if regular calling doesn't work, I honestly had success with that Claimyr service others mentioned. Cost me like $25 but saved my sanity and got me connected within an hour. Once I actually talked to someone at NYSDOL, they reprocessed my payment in 2 days since the original approval was already there. Hang in there - I know it's stressful when rent is due, but this IS fixable! Document everything and get those reference numbers. You got this! 💪

One more thing - make sure she keeps detailed records of her job search activities right from the start. NYS Department of Labor requires you to make at least 3 job contacts per week and keep a log. Even if her claim is still processing, she needs to be actively looking for work and documenting it. They can ask to see this information at any time.

Just want to add that she should also gather her bank account information for direct deposit setup during the application process. NYS Department of Labor strongly recommends direct deposit over waiting for debit cards to arrive by mail. Also, if she was laid off due to lack of work (not fired for misconduct), make sure she selects the correct reason on the application - this affects how quickly her claim gets processed. The system will ask for specific details about her separation, so having her termination letter or any documentation from HR can be helpful if there are follow-up questions.