Can you collect unemployment if you worked less than 90 days - NYS Department of Labor eligibility question

The good news is that NYS Department of Labor doesn't have a specific 90-day minimum work requirement. What matters is your base period earnings, which looks at your wages from the first four of the last five completed quarters before you filed. Since you worked for over two years at your previous job, those earnings should count toward your base period. You should definitely file a claim - the worst they can do is say no, but you'll likely qualify based on your previous employment history.

yeah i had the same thing happen to me last year. worked at a place for like 2 months before they let me go but i still got approved for UI because of my work history from before. just make sure you report both jobs when you file your claim

The key eligibility factors for NYS Department of Labor unemployment are: 1) You must have worked and earned wages in at least two quarters of your base period, 2) You must have earned at least $2,700 in your highest quarter, and 3) Your total base period wages must be at least 1.5 times your highest quarter earnings. There's no minimum number of days you had to work at your most recent job. Your previous two-year employment should easily meet these requirements.

I was in a similar situation trying to reach NYS Department of Labor to get clarification on my base period wages. Couldn't get through on the phone for weeks - kept getting the busy signal or hung up on. Finally found this service called Claimyr that helped me get connected to an actual agent. They have a website at claimyr.com and there's a demo video at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Was able to get my questions answered within a few days instead of waiting weeks.

The whole system is so confusing! Why can't they just make it simple - if you worked and paid into unemployment insurance, you should be able to collect. Period. All these base period calculations and quarter requirements make no sense to regular people.

Just wanted to say thanks for asking this question! I'm in almost the exact same boat - worked somewhere for just under 3 months before getting laid off. Reading these responses makes me feel much better about filing my claim.

Don't let the complexity discourage you from filing! I work as a benefits counselor and see this situation all the time. The NYS Department of Labor system is definitely confusing, but the key thing to remember is that unemployment insurance is designed to help workers who lose their jobs through no fault of their own - regardless of how long they worked at their last position. Your two years of previous employment history is exactly what the base period calculation is meant to capture. I'd recommend filing online at labor.ny.gov as soon as possible since there's a waiting period, and you can always appeal if there are any issues with your initial determination.