Can stay-at-home mom collect unemployment benefits from NYS Department of Labor?
I've been a stay-at-home mom for the past 6 years raising my two kids. Before that I worked as a receptionist at a dental office for about 3 years. My husband lost his job last month and we're really struggling financially. A friend told me I might be able to get unemployment benefits but I'm not sure if that's true since I haven't worked in so long. Can a stay-at-home mom collect unemployment from NYS Department of Labor? I'm willing to look for work now that we need the income. Do I have any options or am I out of luck?
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Jeremiah Brown
Unfortunately, you need to have worked recently to qualify for regular unemployment benefits. NYS Department of Labor requires you to have earned wages in your base period (usually the first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters). Since you've been out of work for 6 years, you won't have qualifying wages. However, you might want to look into other assistance programs like SNAP or TANF while you search for new employment.
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JacksonHarris
•That's what I was afraid of. Do you know if there are any job training programs that might help me get back into the workforce? It's been so long since I've worked.
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Royal_GM_Mark
Yeah my sister was in similar situation and they told her no way. You have to have worked and paid into the system recently. But definitely apply for other help programs, they can really make a difference when money is tight.
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Amelia Cartwright
The previous responses are correct about regular UI benefits. You need recent work history and wages. However, I'd suggest contacting your local One-Stop Career Center - they often have programs specifically for people re-entering the workforce after extended absences. Some even offer training programs that might include support payments while you're in training. Also look into WIC if you have young children.
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JacksonHarris
•Thank you! I'll definitely look into the One-Stop Career Center. Do you know if they help with things like updating resumes too?
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Amelia Cartwright
•Yes absolutely! They provide resume help, interview prep, job search assistance, and sometimes even professional clothing for interviews. It's a great resource for getting back into the workforce.
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Chris King
This is so frustrating! The system is set up against people who take time off to raise kids. I know someone who tried to apply anyway just to see what would happen and NYS Department of Labor just denied her immediately. At least now there are more remote work opportunities than there were 6 years ago.
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Rachel Clark
I was in a similar spot 2 years ago after being home with kids for 4 years. When I needed to reach someone at NYS Department of Labor to ask about my options, I had such a hard time getting through their phone lines. A friend told me about this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helps you actually connect with NYS Department of Labor agents by phone. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. It was really helpful for getting clear answers about what programs I might qualify for.
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JacksonHarris
•Thanks for the tip! I'll check that out. Getting through to someone who can actually explain my options would be really helpful.
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Zachary Hughes
good luck mama! its tough out there but you got this
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Jenna Sloan
I'm in a very similar situation - been home with my kids for 5 years and just started looking for work again. What I learned is that even though you can't get regular unemployment, there are some other programs that might help. Check if you qualify for emergency assistance through your county's social services department. Also, some community colleges have programs specifically for parents returning to work that include childcare assistance while you're in classes or training. The library in my area also has free computer classes and job search workshops that have been really helpful for getting back up to speed with technology and job applications.
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Jamal Carter
•This is such great advice! I hadn't thought about community college programs with childcare assistance - that could be a game changer. How did you find out about these programs? Did you just call the colleges directly or is there a website that lists them? Also really appreciate the tip about the library workshops. After being out of the workforce for so long, I definitely need to brush up on my computer skills and learn about modern job application processes.
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Ethan Taylor
•@Jenna Sloan That s'really encouraging to hear from someone in the same boat! I m'definitely going to look into the community college programs - the childcare assistance would be huge since that s'been one of my biggest concerns about going back to work or school. Did you find that employers were understanding about the employment gap when you started applying? That s'something I m'really nervous about having to explain in interviews.
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Keisha Robinson
•@Jenna Sloan I found the community college programs by calling their continuing education or workforce development departments directly. Some also have "returning students" or "non-traditional student" services that specifically help people who've been out of school/work for a while. As for employers, I was honest about taking time to raise my kids and framed it positively - talked about the skills I developed like time management, multitasking, problem-solving. Most were actually pretty understanding, especially smaller companies. I also did some volunteer work at my kids' school before job hunting which helped fill the gap and gave me recent references. You've got this!
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