Can you file for unemployment if your contract ends - NYS Department of Labor eligibility?

Yes, contract workers can absolutely file for unemployment benefits in NY! The key is whether you were classified as a W-2 employee or 1099 independent contractor. If you received a W-2, you should be eligible just like any other employee. NYS Department of Labor looks at your work history and earnings over the past 18 months to determine your benefit amount.

been there! filed when my contract ended in march and got approved pretty quick. just make sure you have all your employment info ready - dates, employer names, wages, etc. the my.ny.gov system is actually pretty straightforward

You'll need to meet the monetary eligibility requirements - basically you need to have earned enough wages in covered employment during your base period. For contract work, this means W-2 earnings. The NYS Department of Labor will calculate your base period automatically when you apply online. Also important: you need to be able and available for work, which shouldn't be an issue if you're actively looking for new contracts or permanent positions.

I had such a hard time getting through to NYS Department of Labor when I needed to ask questions about my contract work eligibility. Spent hours on hold and kept getting disconnected. 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 so much easier when I could actually talk to someone who could answer my specific questions about contract work.

Contract work is such a pain for unemployment!! I went through this whole mess last year where they kept asking for more documentation about my contract positions. Make sure you keep really good records of everything - start dates, end dates, why the contract ended, etc. The adjudication process can take FOREVER if they have questions.

oh and don't forget you'll need to do the weekly claims every week once you're approved. job search requirements are still the same whether you were contract or permanent employee

Thanks everyone for the helpful info! I'm definitely going to apply since I did get W-2s from all my contract positions. One thing I'm wondering about - do I need to report that the company said they "might" have more work in a few months when I file? I don't want to mess anything up by not being completely transparent, but it's also pretty vague and uncertain. Also, has anyone had experience with how they handle gaps between contracts? I had about 3 weeks between my last two contracts where I was actively looking for work.