Can a self employed person apply for unemployment benefits through NYS Department of Labor?

That's what I was afraid of. So there's really no safety net for self-employed people at all anymore?

Yeah PUA was a lifesaver but that's long gone now. It's really frustrating that self-employed people are just left hanging when business dries up.

That's correct! If you had W2 employment in addition to self-employment, you might qualify for UI based on the W2 wages. NYS Department of Labor looks at your employment history over the past 18 months. You'd need to meet the minimum wage requirements from covered employment though.

I did have a part-time teaching job at a community college last year that gave me W2s. Maybe I should try applying and see what happens?

@Ryan Andre Definitely worth applying if you had W2 income! The worst they can do is deny it. When you apply, make sure to report all your W2 wages from the past 18 months. The system will calculate if you meet the minimum earnings threshold from covered employment. Even if your photography business was your main income, those teaching wages might be enough to qualify you for at least some weekly benefit amount.

never heard of that but honestly anything is better than the runaround you get calling the regular number

I understand the frustration, but unemployment insurance is funded by employer contributions, not general tax revenue. Self-employed people don't pay into the UI system the same way employees do.

That's really helpful advice! I didn't realize I should focus on the teaching job loss rather than the photography business when applying. Do you know if there's a minimum amount you need to have earned from W2 wages to qualify? I'm trying to figure out if my part-time teaching income would have been enough to meet the threshold.

For NYS, you generally need to have earned at least $2,600 in covered wages during your base period to qualify for UI benefits. The base period is typically the first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters before you file. So if you're filing now, that would be roughly April 2024 through March 2025. You can check your wage history on the NYS Department of Labor website once you create an account. Even part-time teaching income can add up over several quarters - I'd say it's definitely worth checking your eligibility!

For NY, you generally need to have earned at least $2,600 in covered wages during your base period, and your total base period wages need to be at least 1.5 times your highest quarter earnings. So if you made decent money from that teaching job over a few quarters, you might hit the threshold. You can actually check your wage history online through the NYS Department of Labor website before applying - that'll show you exactly what W2 wages they have on file for you.

For NYS, you generally need to have earned at least $2,600 in covered wages during your base period, and your total base period wages need to be at least 1.5 times your highest quarter earnings. So if you made decent money from that teaching job over multiple quarters, you might hit the threshold. The exact calculation can get complicated though - NYS DOL has a benefit calculator on their website that can give you a better idea of whether your W2 wages would qualify you.

For NYS unemployment, you typically need to have earned at least $2,600 in covered wages during your base period, with wages in at least two quarters. The base period is usually the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before you file. So if you're filing now, they'd look at your W2 earnings from roughly early 2023 through late 2023. Even part-time teaching could meet this if you taught multiple semesters. You can check your wage history online through the NYS Department of Labor website before applying to see if you meet the minimum requirements.

For NYS, you generally need to have earned at least $2,600 in covered wages during your base period to qualify for unemployment benefits. The base period is typically the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before you file your claim. So if your part-time teaching brought in at least that much over those quarters, you should meet the minimum threshold. You can check your wage history on the NYS Department of Labor website to see exactly what you earned in covered employment.

For New York, you generally need to have earned at least $2,600 in covered wages during your base period to qualify for unemployment benefits. The base period is typically the first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters before you file your claim. So if you're filing now, they'd look at your W2 wages from roughly early 2023 through early 2024. Even part-time teaching could potentially meet this threshold if you taught multiple semesters. You can check your exact wage history by logging into your NY.gov account or calling the DOL to verify your covered wages before applying.

For NYS unemployment, you generally need to have earned at least $2,600 in covered wages during your base period, with wages in at least two quarters. The base period is typically the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before you file. So if your part-time teaching brought in a few thousand over the course of the year, you might actually qualify! You can check the NYS DOL website for the exact wage requirements, but it's definitely worth applying if you think you're close to that threshold.

For New York State, you typically need to have earned at least $2,600 in covered wages during your base period to qualify for unemployment benefits. The base period is usually the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before you file your claim. So if you're filing now, they'd look at your W2 earnings from roughly early 2023 through late 2024. Even part-time teaching could meet this threshold if you taught multiple semesters. You can check your exact wage history by creating an account on the NYS DOL website before applying.