Can I still claim ny unemployment after my 26 weeks if they might approve Extended Benefits?
My regular unemployment benefits just ran out after 26 weeks. I was laid off from my warehouse job back in May, and I've been claiming every week like clockwork. My last payment was two days ago, and the system shows my benefit year still runs until next May, but says I've used all available credits. I heard rumors that NY might bring back Extended Benefits due to rising unemployment rates. Should I keep certifying each week even though I'm not getting paid right now? I'm worried if I stop certifying and they do approve EB, I might miss out on backpay or lose my place in line. The job market in my area is really tough right now - I've applied to 20+ places in the last month with zero callbacks. Anyone know if continuing to certify will help if EB gets approved?
48 comments
Sebastian Scott
YES! 100% keep certifying every week. When I exhausted my benefits last year I kept certifying anyway and when they approved the extension I got ALL my back weeks. If you stop certifying you'll definitely have problems. The system might not pay you now but its tracking that you're still eligible and looking for work.
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Emily Sanjay
I second this! My friend stopped certifying when her benefits ran out and when the extension came through she had to jump through hoops to get it backdated. Such a headache 🤦♀️
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Sarah Jones
thanks for this! i was worried i was wasting my time with the weekly certifications. ill keep doing it then
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Jordan Walker
does it still ask u the same questions even tho ur not getting paid?
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Sebastian Scott
Yep, exact same process. System will say something like 'you've exhausted benefits but may still certify' - just answer like normal
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Natalie Adams
I was in this exact situation and couldn't get a straight answer for weeks. Finally I found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an actual agent within 30 minutes. Talking to an agent got my benefits extended so fast when I was about to give up. They confirmed I should keep certifying! Check out their youtube for more info: https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE
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Elijah O'Reilly
wait is this fr? how does it actually work? the ny unemployment phone lines are always jammed
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Natalie Adams
Yeah it actually calls for you and stays on hold, then rings your phone when a real person picks up. It saved me like 5 hours of hold music lol
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Amara Torres
another 'miracle solution'... what's the catch? 🙄 these things are always scams
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Natalie Adams
No catch - it just saves you from the hold time. I was skeptical too but talking to a real agent solved my issue in 10 minutes after trying for weeks
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Olivia Van-Cleve
not falling for another unemployment 'hack'... these never work. the system is broken by design
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Mason Kaczka
I actually used this last month when my claim was stuck in limbo. Best money I ever spent to finally talk to someone who could actually help fix my claim
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Sophia Russo
Unfortunately there's no guarantee NY will approve more extended benefits. Its all about the unemployment rate and budget allocations. But 100% keep certifying weekly - theres literally no downside and it keeps you in the system as actively looking. Make sure ur still doing the work search requirements too (apply to at least 3 jobs per week).
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Evelyn Xu
This whole system is such a joke. I've been fighting with ny unemployment for 5 months now. Keep certifying but also DOCUMENT EVERYTHING. Screenshots of your certifications, work search activities, any correspondence. I learned the hard way when they randomly accused me of not looking for work despite having applied to 50+ places 🤡
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Dominic Green
THIS!!! They "lost" my work search records twice and almost cut me off. The system is DESIGNED to make you give up.
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Sarah Jones
thx for the advice, i'll start taking screenshots. didnt even think of that
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Hannah Flores
I'm gonna go against the grain here and say it depends on your situation. Certifying takes what, 5 minutes a week? If you have even a slim chance of getting more benefits, it's worth it. But don't put all your eggs in that basket. Focus on finding ANY work, even part time, because EB might never come. The political will just isn't there like it was during covid.
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Kayla Jacobson
harsh but tru. i had to take a job way below my pay grade after my benefits ran out. better than nothing
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William Rivera
This isn't good advice. You should ABSOLUTELY keep certifying no matter what. Even if you get part-time work, you might still qualify for partial benefits.
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Hannah Flores
that's literally what I said - keep certifying but don't count on it. reading comprehension isn't your strong suit huh? 😂
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Grace Lee
Here's what you need to know about the current NY unemployment situation: First, YES, keep certifying every single week without fail. The system will record these certifications even if you're not receiving payments right now. Second, Extended Benefits (EB) are triggered by economic indicators - specifically when the state's unemployment rate exceeds certain thresholds. The last official data showed NY's unemployment rate at 4.1%, which isn't high enough to trigger automatic EB yet. Third, work search requirements are still in effect - you must document applying to at least 3 jobs weekly. Keep detailed records of every application - company name, position, application date, contact info, and any responses. Fourth, if you're struggling to get answers, don't waste days on hold. I used claimyr.com to get through to an agent when my benefits were in limbo. It's a service that waits on hold for you and calls when an agent picks up. Finally, consider looking into other assistance programs while you wait - SNAP benefits, rental assistance, etc. Don't put all your hopes on EB being approved. Hang in there - the system is frustrating but persistence pays off.
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Mia Roberts
This is super helpful info. Do you know how high the unemployment rate needs to go before EB kicks in automatically?
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Grace Lee
It needs to hit 6.5% and stay above that for a certain period. We're not there yet but trending in that direction unfortunately.
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Sarah Jones
thanks for this detailed answer. gonna check out that claimyr site cuz i have more questions about my claim that the website doesnt answer
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The Boss
Tbh I wouldn't get my hopes up about EB. The state is broke af and they make the qualification requirements harder every year. But definitely keep certifying - it literally costs you nothing except 5 min of ur time each week.
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Evan Kalinowski
KEEP CERTIFYING!!!! I cannot stress this enough! My benefits exhausted in August, I kept certifying every week, and when they approved a small extension in October I got backpaid for every week I certified. If I hadn't kept certifying I would have gotten NOTHING.
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Victoria Charity
wait, they approved an extension recently? I thought there weren't any extensions available right now? what kind of extension was it???
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Evan Kalinowski
It wasn't a general extension - my specific case qualified for additional weeks due to a training program. But the point is the same - you won't get anything if you don't certify!
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Jasmine Quinn
This is terrible advice. There are NO extensions available now unless you're in approved training. Stop giving people false hope 🙄
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Evan Kalinowski
I literally said it was for my specific situation. The point is to KEEP CERTIFYING regardless. Reading comprehension much?
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Oscar Murphy
has anyone heard any actual news about bringing back EB? or is this just a rumor going around? I haven't seen anything official from ny unemployment about it
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Nora Bennett
Nothing official yet. Some state reps have discussed it but no concrete proposals or votes scheduled. It'll depend on unemployment rates continuing to rise.
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Ryan Andre
my cousin works for the state (not unemployment dept) and she says they're discussing it internally but nothing's been approved
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Lauren Zeb
you could try reaching out to your state representatives office. sometimes they can give you better info or even help with your case. i was stuck in limbo for weeks until i contacted my assembly person and magically my case started moving again
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Daniel Washington
make sure your resume is uploaded in the system too and updated. i heard that if EB does get approved, they look at who's actively using all parts of the system including the job matching section.
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Aurora Lacasse
is this true? I've never heard this before. My resume on their site is from like 2 years ago lol
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Daniel Washington
Yep! An agent told me this directly when I finally got thru on the phone. They check engagement with the entire system, not just certifications.
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Anthony Young
I stopped certifying after my benefits ran out last year and it was THE BIGGEST MISTAKE. When they approved more weeks (during covid) I had to appeal and prove I was still looking for work during those weeks I didn't certify. Complete nightmare. Just spend the 5 minutes each week and keep certifying.
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Charlotte White
call them!!! seriously the website never has updated info. I couldn't get through for weeks but found claimyr.com and they got me connected to an agent who told me exactly what to do. the website said one thing but the agent gave me totally different instructions that actually worked
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Admin_Masters
what kinds of different instructions? the website is so confusing sometimes
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Charlotte White
In my case, the website said my claim was closed but the agent was able to reopen it over the phone without me having to file a new one. Saved me weeks of waiting!
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Matthew Sanchez
After my benefits ran out I started doing gig work (instacart, doordash, etc) to make ends meet. You can still certify each week and report whatever income you make. That way if EB comes through youll be all set, but youre not sitting around with zero income in the meantime.
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Sarah Jones
thats actually a good idea. i've been hesitant to do gig work cuz i thought it would mess up my unemployment status
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Matthew Sanchez
Just make sure you accurately report any earnings when you certify. If you earn under a certain amount you can still get partial benefits too!
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Ella Thompson
Has anyone tried using the chat function on the website? I've had better luck with that than calling (tho it still sucks). maybe you can get an answer about EB that way
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JacksonHarris
the chat is useless. it's just bots giving generic answers to keywords
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Jeremiah Brown
Not true - if you stay on long enough (usually 30+ min) you eventually get a real person. I got my issue fixed that way.
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Ella Thompson
it's hit or miss. sometimes i get a real person who helps, other times it's clearly just automated responses
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