Can you apply for unemployment twice with NYS Department of Labor?
I'm really confused about something and hope someone can help. I was laid off from my retail job in September and filed for unemployment benefits with NYS Department of Labor. Got approved and collected for about 8 weeks until I found a new position in November. Now that job ended last week (company downsizing) and I'm wondering if I can apply for unemployment again? Do I need to file a completely new claim or can I somehow reopen my old one? I still have money left on my original benefit year but I'm not sure how this works when you've had another job in between.
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Sean Murphy
You don't need to file a new application! Since you're still within your benefit year (which runs 52 weeks from when you first filed), you can reopen your existing claim. Just go to my.ny.gov and look for the option to 'reopen claim' rather than filing a new one. You'll need to report all the wages you earned from your November job when you file your weekly claims.
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Anastasia Popov
•Oh that's a relief! I was worried I'd have to go through the whole application process again. Do I need to wait a certain amount of time before reopening or can I do it right away?
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Zara Khan
The person above is correct about reopening vs filing new. BUT you need to make sure you report ALL wages from that November job accurately. NYS Department of Labor will verify your earnings and if there's any discrepancy it could delay your benefits or create an overpayment situation. Also, your weekly benefit amount might change based on the wages from your recent job.
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Luca Ferrari
•This is so important! I made the mistake of not reporting some part-time wages correctly and ended up with a huge overpayment notice months later.
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Nia Davis
wait im confused... i thought you could only get unemployment once per year? ive been putting off applying because i figured i already used mine up earlier this year when i got laid off from my restaurant job
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Sean Murphy
•No, that's not how it works! You get a benefit year that lasts 52 weeks from when you first file. During that year, you can start and stop collecting as needed based on your employment status. You should definitely apply if you're eligible!
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Nia Davis
•omg really?? i've been struggling for weeks thinking i couldn't apply again. this changes everything
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Mateo Martinez
If you're having trouble getting through to NYS Department of Labor to ask about reopening your claim, I had success using claimyr.com recently. They help you get connected to an actual agent without sitting on hold forever. There's a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Saved me hours of frustration trying to get answers about my claim status.
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QuantumQueen
•Never heard of that service but honestly anything is better than spending half my day listening to that busy signal from NYS Department of Labor phone lines
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Aisha Rahman
The whole system is confusing as hell. Why can't they just make it simple - you lose your job, you apply, you get benefits. Instead we have to figure out reopening vs new claims, benefit years, wage reporting... it's like they WANT to make it complicated so people give up
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NeonNova
•I totally get the frustration! I went through the same confusion when I had to reopen my claim last year. What helped me was writing down all my key dates and wage info before starting the process. The NYS Department of Labor website does have a decent FAQ section that explains the difference between reopening and filing new, but you have to dig for it. Hang in there - once you get through the initial setup, the weekly certifications are pretty straightforward.
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Max Reyes
Just wanted to add that when you reopen your claim, make sure you have all your employment documentation from that November job ready - pay stubs, W-2, termination letter, etc. NYS Department of Labor may ask for verification of your work history and earnings. Also, if your November job was in a different industry or paid significantly more/less than your original job, it could affect your weekly benefit calculation. The system will use wages from your highest earning quarter during the base period, so depending on when you worked that November job, it might actually increase your benefits. Good luck with the reopening process!
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