Can a 16 year old get unemployment benefits from NYS Department of Labor?
My younger brother just turned 16 and got laid off from his part-time job at a local restaurant after only working there for about 4 months. He's asking if he can file for unemployment benefits through NYS Department of Labor since he was working legally with a work permit. I told him probably not but honestly I'm not sure about the age requirements. Does anyone know if minors can even apply for UI benefits in New York? He made around $200 a week and they let him go because business was slow.
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GalaxyGazer
Yes, 16-year-olds can technically file for unemployment in New York if they meet the work history requirements. The key issue isn't age - it's whether he earned enough wages in his base period. For 2025, he needs at least $3,300 in total wages during his base period (usually the first 4 of the last 5 completed quarters before filing). Working 4 months part-time at $200/week probably won't meet that threshold unfortunately.
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Amina Sow
•That makes sense. So it's really about the earnings requirement not his age. I'll let him know he probably doesn't qualify yet but at least now we understand how it works.
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Oliver Wagner
wait i thought you had to be 18 to get unemployment?? this is confusing lol
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Natasha Kuznetsova
•Nope, age isn't the barrier in NY. Minors can work legally with permits starting at 14 in some cases, so they can also collect unemployment if they meet the wage requirements. The real issue is most teen jobs don't provide enough hours or wages to qualify for benefits.
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Javier Mendoza
My daughter went through something similar last year when she was 17. She worked at a retail store for about 6 months but didn't make enough to qualify for unemployment. The NYS Department of Labor website has a calculator where you can check if you meet the minimum wage requirements. Even if he doesn't qualify now, those wages will count toward future claims if he keeps working.
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Amina Sow
•Good to know about the calculator! I'll have him check that out. At least the work experience will help him find another job.
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Emma Thompson
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.
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Malik Davis
•How much does something like that cost though? Seems like it might not be worth it for a 16 year old who probably doesn't qualify anyway.
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Emma Thompson
•That's a fair point. In his case it's probably better to just use the online calculator first to see if he meets the wage requirements before trying to contact anyone.
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Isabella Santos
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?
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GalaxyGazer
•I understand the frustration, but the requirement exists because unemployment insurance is funded by employer taxes based on their payroll. Workers need to contribute to the system through sufficient work history before they can draw benefits from it.
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Anderson Prospero
•I get where you're coming from, but there are other resources available for teens in this situation. Many communities have youth employment programs, and some organizations offer emergency assistance for families facing financial hardship. It's not ideal, but the unemployment system wasn't really designed with part-time teen workers in mind.
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