Can I file for unemployment if I haven't worked 2 years with NYS Department of Labor?
I'm really confused about the work history requirements for filing unemployment in NY. I've been working part-time for about 14 months now but keep hearing different things about needing 2 years of work history. My hours got cut drastically last month and I'm struggling to pay rent. Can I still file with NYS Department of Labor even though I haven't been working for a full 2 years? I'm worried I don't qualify but desperately need help right now.
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Jenna Sloan
You don't need 2 years of work history! NYS Department of Labor looks at your earnings during your base period, which is typically the first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters before you file. As long as you earned enough wages during that period (currently $2,700 minimum), you can qualify. The 14 months you worked should be sufficient if you earned enough.
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Raul Neal
•Oh wow, thank you! So it's about earnings in those quarters, not just how long I've been working? That makes way more sense.
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Christian Burns
Yeah the 2 year thing is a myth that gets passed around. I qualified after only 8 months of work because I had decent wages. Just make sure you have your employment info ready when you file on my.ny.gov - they'll calculate your base period automatically.
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Sasha Reese
•Same here! I was panicking thinking I needed years of work history but got approved pretty quickly once I filed.
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Muhammad Hobbs
I had such a hard time getting through to NYS Department of Labor when I was confused about this same thing. If you need to talk to someone directly about your specific situation, I ended up using this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that actually got me connected to a real agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Saved me hours of calling and getting busy signals.
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Raul Neal
•How does that work exactly? Is it just a way to get through the phone lines faster?
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Muhammad Hobbs
•Yeah basically they handle the calling and waiting for you, then connect you when an agent picks up. Was way less stressful than trying to get through myself.
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Noland Curtis
just file anyway and see what happens, worst case they say no but at least you'll know for sure
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Diez Ellis
The NYS Department of Labor system is so confusing about these requirements! I've been working gig jobs for over a year and still wasn't sure if I qualified when my main contract ended. Turns out as long as you have W-2 or 1099 income during the base period quarters, you should be fine. Don't let the uncertainty stop you from applying.
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Raul Neal
•That's really helpful to know! I do have W-2s from my part-time job so hopefully that's enough documentation.
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