Age requirements for NYS Department of Labor unemployment benefits - how old do you have to be?
My younger brother just turned 16 and got his first part-time job at a local grocery store but they cut his hours way back after the holidays. He's wondering if he can file for unemployment benefits through NYS Department of Labor since his income dropped so much. I tried looking this up on the my.ny.gov website but couldn't find clear info about minimum age requirements. Does anyone know how old you have to be to qualify for UI benefits in New York? I know there are work history requirements too but wasn't sure about age limits.
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Samantha Howard
In New York, there's no specific minimum age requirement for unemployment benefits, but you need to meet the work and wage requirements. The main issue for your brother will be that he needs sufficient work history and earnings in his base period to qualify. Most part-time workers under 18 don't earn enough to meet the monetary eligibility requirements that NYS Department of Labor sets.
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Benjamin Kim
•That makes sense - he's only been working for about 3 months so probably doesn't have enough earnings yet. What's the minimum amount you need to have earned?
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Megan D'Acosta
Your brother would need to have earned at least $2,600 in his base period and meet other wage requirements. The base period is usually the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before filing. Since he just started working recently, he probably won't qualify yet. He'd need to work longer and earn more before being eligible for unemployment benefits.
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Sarah Ali
•This is exactly what happened to my nephew last year - too new to the workforce to qualify even though his hours got cut.
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Ryan Vasquez
wait so teenagers CAN get unemployment?? I always thought you had to be like 18 or older! this is news to me
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Samantha Howard
•Age isn't the barrier - it's the work history and earnings requirements that usually prevent younger workers from qualifying. Most teens haven't worked long enough or earned enough to meet NYS Department of Labor's monetary eligibility standards.
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Avery Saint
If you're having trouble getting through to NYS Department of Labor to ask about specific eligibility requirements, I had success using a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me reach an actual agent. They have a demo video at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Might be worth checking out if you need to speak with someone directly about your brother's situation.
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Benjamin Kim
•Thanks for the suggestion! It sounds like he probably doesn't qualify yet anyway based on what others said about needing more work history.
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Taylor Chen
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.
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