JUST TO ADD - make sure you apply right away if you do lose your job, even if you're not 100% sure you qualify. The NYS Department of Labor will determine your eligibility and you don't want to miss out on any potential benefits while you're figuring it out. The worst they can say is no, but at least you'll know for sure.

Just want to add my experience here - I was in almost the exact same situation as you Sean! Got let go after about 8 weeks at a new job and was panicking about whether I'd qualify for unemployment. Turns out my previous job from about 14 months earlier still counted toward my base period earnings. The NYS Department of Labor rep I finally got through to explained that as long as you meet those earnings thresholds during the base period quarters, the length of time at your most recent job doesn't matter. The tricky part was actually getting someone on the phone to walk through my specific situation - took me weeks of busy signals and dropped calls. But once I got clarity on my eligibility, the actual application process was pretty straightforward. Don't stress too much about the 6 weeks - focus on whether your total earnings during the base period meet the requirements.

For the most up-to-date unemployment percentage data, I'd recommend checking the New York State Department of Labor's official Labor Market Information page directly. They typically release preliminary monthly data around the 3rd Friday of each month. The unemployment percentage can vary quite a bit between regions - NYC metro area often differs from upstate regions like Rochester, Syracuse, or the North Country. You might also want to look at both the seasonally adjusted and non-seasonally adjusted numbers depending on what your analysis requires. The Bureau of Labor Statistics also publishes state-level data that complements the NYS DOL reports, which can be helpful for comparing trends over time.

The NYS Department of Labor does publish county-level unemployment data! For the Capital Region/Albany area specifically, you can find detailed breakdowns that include Albany, Rensselaer, Saratoga, and Schenectady counties. They usually group it as the "Albany-Schenectady-Troy Metropolitan Statistical Area" in their reports. The county-level data sometimes lags a bit behind the statewide numbers by a few weeks, but it's definitely available. I'd also suggest checking out the "Local Area Unemployment Statistics" section on their site - that's where they dive into the more granular geographic data that sounds like what you're looking for.

i feel u on a spiritual level 🤣 been stuck in unemployment purgatory since april. the system is a joke.

I'm going through the EXACT same nightmare right now! Been trying for 2 weeks straight and that stupid automated system just hangs up every single time. It's like they designed it to be as frustrating as possible. I'm honestly at my wit's end here - my savings are almost gone and I can't even get a human on the phone to explain why my payments just stopped out of nowhere. The online portal messages go into a black hole too. How is this even legal?? We pay into this system and then when we need it most, it's completely broken. Really hoping some of these suggestions work because I'm running out of options fast 😤

omg same question! been wondering about this since my cousin lost his job and is worried about benefit cuts

I'm new here but have been following this discussion with interest. From what I understand after researching this myself, there are actually multiple layers to how government spending affects unemployment benefits. While the core UI program is employer-funded as others mentioned, extended benefits during recessions often come from federal appropriations. Also, the administrative capacity of NYS Department of Labor - their staffing levels, technology systems, office operations - that does come from state budget allocations. So while your weekly benefit amount might not change due to spending cuts, the service quality and processing times definitely can be impacted by how much the state allocates to run the department. It's a complex mix of dedicated funding streams and general government spending.

update: my payment just hit my account at 6am this morning

For anyone still worried about future holiday delays, I've found it helpful to set up low balance alerts on my bank account and try to keep a small buffer for situations like this. Most banks will let you set up text or email notifications when your balance drops below a certain amount. That way you're not caught off guard by autopay bills hitting before your delayed unemployment payment arrives. Also, many utility companies and creditors are understanding about holiday processing delays if you call them proactively - better than dealing with late fees after the fact.