Can you collect unemployment after a temporary job ends in NY?
My temp assignment through a staffing agency ended last Friday after working there for 6 months. The agency says they don't have another placement for me right now. Can I file for unemployment benefits even though it was temporary work? I'm confused about whether temp jobs count for NYS Department of Labor purposes. I earned good money during those 6 months and paid into the system, so I'm hoping I qualify.
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Ava Williams
Yes, temporary work absolutely counts for unemployment benefits in NY! As long as you earned enough wages during your base period and the job ended through no fault of your own, you should be eligible. The fact that it was a temp job doesn't disqualify you. You'll need to file your initial claim and then do your weekly claims like anyone else.
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Dmitry Petrov
•That's a relief! Do I need to contact the staffing agency first or can I go straight to filing with NYS Department of Labor?
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Miguel Castro
same thing happened to me in march, temp job ended and i filed right away. took about 2 weeks to get approved but no issues
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Zainab Ibrahim
You should file immediately - don't wait. The key thing is that your assignment ended due to lack of work, not because you quit or got fired for misconduct. Make sure when you file your initial claim that you explain it was a temporary assignment that completed. Also keep checking with the staffing agency for new assignments since you need to show you're actively looking for work.
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Dmitry Petrov
•Good point about staying in touch with the agency. Should I list them as a job contact in my weekly job search log?
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Zainab Ibrahim
•Absolutely! Contacting the staffing agency definitely counts as a valid job search activity for your weekly claims.
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Connor O'Neill
I had trouble reaching NYS Department of Labor when my temp job ended last year. Kept getting disconnected from the phone lines. Finally used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get through to an actual agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Made the whole process way less stressful than trying to call on my own.
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LunarEclipse
•How much does something like that cost? I'm already stressed about money.
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Connor O'Neill
•It was worth it for me to avoid the phone frustration, but you can definitely try calling NYS Department of Labor directly first. The service just makes it easier to actually reach someone when you need help.
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Yara Khalil
The whole temp job system is rigged anyway. They use you up for months then dump you with no notice and expect you to be grateful for the 'experience.' At least unemployment gives you something while you're searching again.
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Keisha Brown
Just make sure you have all your pay stubs from the temp work when you file. NYS Department of Labor will verify your wages with the staffing agency anyway, but having documentation helps speed things up.
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Gabrielle Dubois
I went through this exact situation about 8 months ago with a temp job that lasted 4 months. Filed my claim online through the NYS DOL website and it was pretty straightforward. The key thing they ask is why your employment ended - just be honest that it was a temporary assignment that concluded due to lack of available work. Also, keep records of any communication with your staffing agency about looking for new placements since that shows you're actively seeking work. The whole process took about 3 weeks from filing to getting my first payment, but that included the mandatory waiting week. Don't let the temporary nature of the job discourage you from applying - you earned those benefits!
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Melina Haruko
•Thanks for sharing your experience! Three weeks seems reasonable - I was worried it might take much longer. Did you have any issues with the staffing agency providing wage verification to NYS DOL, or did that go smoothly? I want to make sure there won't be any delays on their end.
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Mateo Gonzalez
•The wage verification went pretty smoothly in my case - the staffing agency was responsive when NYS DOL contacted them. Most legitimate agencies are used to this process and have their payroll systems set up to handle these requests quickly. Just make sure you keep copies of all your pay stubs and any documentation showing your assignment end date, in case there are any discrepancies. If you run into issues, you can always contact the agency's HR department directly to follow up on the verification status.
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