Can you collect unemployment after having a baby - NYS Department of Labor eligibility?

Unfortunately, you typically can't collect regular unemployment benefits while on maternity leave because you have to be able and available for work. However, you might qualify for Paid Family Leave (PFL) through NY State which is separate from unemployment. PFL provides partial wage replacement for bonding with a new child. You should also look into short-term disability benefits if you have coverage through your employer for the recovery period after birth.

wait i thought you could get unemployment if you quit for a good reason? isn't having a baby a good reason to leave your job?

I went through this exact situation last year! The NYS Department of Labor was really clear that I couldn't get regular unemployment while I was recovering from childbirth or taking time to bond with my baby. But I was able to get Paid Family Leave for 8 weeks at about 67% of my salary. You apply through your employer's insurance carrier, not directly through NYS Department of Labor. Make sure you start the paperwork early because there's a waiting period.

The whole system is so confusing honestly. I had to call NYS Department of Labor like 10 times when I was pregnant because I kept getting different answers from different people. If you're having trouble getting through to someone who can give you clear information about your specific situation, I ended up using this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me actually reach a real person at the unemployment office. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Saved me hours of calling and getting disconnected.

Just to add - if you do end up leaving your job after the baby and want to return to work later, THEN you might be eligible for unemployment benefits if you're actively seeking work and available to accept a job. But during the immediate postpartum period when you're recovering and bonding, PFL and disability are your better options.

I'm in a similar situation and just wanted to share what I learned from my research. You definitely want to look into both Paid Family Leave (PFL) and short-term disability benefits. For the actual birth/recovery period, you might qualify for disability benefits (usually 6-8 weeks for vaginal delivery, longer for C-section). Then PFL kicks in for the bonding time. The key thing is that these run through your employer's insurance, not NYS Department of Labor unemployment. I'd recommend contacting your HR department ASAP to get the paperwork - some of it needs to be submitted before you go on leave. Also, if your employer has fewer than 50 employees, they might not be required to hold your job under FMLA, so definitely check on that too. Good luck with your baby!