Can you claim unemployment benefits in NY - what are the basic requirements?
I'm trying to figure out if I can claim unemployment benefits through NYS Department of Labor. I got laid off from my restaurant job last week after working there for 8 months. My manager said it was due to slow business and they had to cut staff. I'm 23 and this is my first time dealing with unemployment. Can you claim unemployment in situations like this? What do I need to qualify? I heard there are work history requirements but I'm not sure what they are. Also worried because I only worked at this one place - does that matter?
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Nasira Ibanez
Yes, you can definitely claim unemployment benefits in NY if you meet the basic requirements. Since you were laid off through no fault of your own, that's a qualifying reason. For work history, NYS Department of Labor looks at your earnings in your 'base period' which is usually the first 4 of the last 5 completed quarters before you file. You need to have earned at least $2,700 in your highest earning quarter and total base period earnings of at least 1.5 times your high quarter amount. Working 8 months should cover this if you were making decent wages.
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Hugo Kass
•Thanks! I was making $16/hour and worked pretty consistently, so I think I should meet those earnings requirements. Do I apply online through the NYS Department of Labor website?
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Khalil Urso
Make sure you file your claim as soon as possible - there's no waiting period in NY but you want to get the process started. You'll file through the NYS Department of Labor website and then need to do weekly claims every week to continue receiving benefits. Also be prepared for the job search requirements - you'll need to make at least 3 job contacts per week and keep a log.
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Myles Regis
•wait do you really have to do 3 job searches EVERY week?? that seems like a lot
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Khalil Urso
•Yes, it's 3 job contacts per week minimum. You can apply online, in person, at job fairs, networking events, etc. Just keep good records because they can audit your job search log at any time.
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Brian Downey
The whole system is such a pain honestly. I've been trying to get through to an actual person at NYS Department of Labor for weeks about my claim status and their phone lines are always busy. If you do need to talk to someone, good luck getting through.
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Jacinda Yu
•I had the same problem trying to reach them! What finally worked for me was using Claimyr (claimyr.com) - it's a service that calls NYS Department of Labor for you and gets you connected to an agent. There's a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Saved me hours of calling and getting hung up on.
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Brian Downey
•Never heard of that but might be worth trying. I'm so tired of getting disconnected after waiting on hold forever.
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Landon Flounder
just file online its not that complicated, i did mine last year when i got fired and it was pretty straightforward
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Hugo Kass
•Good to hear it's not too complicated. Did you have any issues with your claim getting approved or was it pretty quick?
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Callum Savage
One thing to watch out for - make sure you report any severance pay you might have received. That can affect when your benefits start. Also if you worked in multiple states, that can complicate things, but since you said it was just the one job in NY you should be fine filing a regular claim with NYS Department of Labor.
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Diego Chavez
Hugo, based on what you've described, you should definitely be eligible for unemployment benefits in NY. Being laid off due to business reasons (not misconduct) qualifies you, and 8 months of work history should meet the earnings requirements if you were making $16/hour consistently. A few tips: 1) File your claim online at labor.ny.gov as soon as possible - you can backdate up to one week but don't delay, 2) Have your Social Security card, driver's license, and employment records ready when you apply, 3) Start keeping a job search log right away since you'll need to document those 3 weekly job contacts. The online application walks you through everything step by step. Good luck!
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