Can stay at home moms get unemployment benefits from NYS Department of Labor?
I've been a stay-at-home mom for the past 4 years but before that I worked full time as a marketing coordinator. My husband lost his job last month and we're really struggling financially. I'm wondering if I can apply for unemployment benefits through NYS Department of Labor even though I haven't worked recently? I'm ready to start looking for work again but not sure if I qualify since I voluntarily left to stay home with the kids. Has anyone been in a similar situation?
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Chloe Boulanger
Unfortunately, to qualify for unemployment benefits in New York, you need to have worked and earned wages within the base period (usually the first 4 quarters of the last 5 quarters before you file). If you haven't worked in 4 years, you likely don't meet the wage requirements. You also need to be available for work and actively seeking employment. However, there might be other assistance programs you could qualify for.
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Noah Ali
•That's what I was afraid of. Are there any other programs that might help while I'm looking for work? I'm definitely ready to start working again but it's been so long.
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James Martinez
yeah the base period thing is rough. i was out of work for 2 years (not by choice) and when i tried to file again they said my wages were too old. you might want to look into SNAP or WIC if you have young kids, those programs can help with food costs while youre job hunting
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Noah Ali
•Thanks, I'll definitely look into those programs. Every little bit helps right now.
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Olivia Harris
The NYS Department of Labor website has a tool where you can check if you have enough wages in your base period before you actually file a claim. Go to labor.ny.gov and look for the benefit rate calculator. It will tell you right away if you have sufficient wages. Also, if you do start working part-time while job searching, you might be able to qualify for partial unemployment benefits once you meet the wage requirements again.
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Noah Ali
•That's really helpful, I'll check that calculator right now. I am considering taking a part-time job to get back into the workforce.
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Alexander Zeus
This is so frustrating! The system penalizes women for taking time off to raise children. I was in a similar boat and had to take any job I could find just to start building up work credits again. It took me 6 months of working before I had enough wages to qualify for UI when that job ended.
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Alicia Stern
•I totally agree, it's not fair at all. But unfortunately that's how the system works right now.
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Gabriel Graham
If you're having trouble reaching NYS Department of Labor to get more specific information about your situation, I used a service called Claimyr recently when I couldn't get through their phone lines. You can check it out at claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. It helped me finally talk to an actual person about my claim status instead of just getting busy signals all day.
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Noah Ali
•I'll look into that if I need to call them. Right now I'm going to try the online calculator first to see if I even have a chance.
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ApolloJackson
I'm so sorry you're going through this difficult situation. While the unemployment eligibility might not work out due to the base period requirements others mentioned, don't give up! You might also want to check with your local Department of Social Services about emergency assistance programs - they sometimes have temporary help for families facing sudden job loss. Also, many libraries offer free career services like resume help and job search assistance, which could be really valuable as you get back into the workforce after being out for a few years. The job market has changed a lot, so updating your skills through free online courses (like those on Coursera or Khan Academy) might help too. You've got this!
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