Can you file for unemployment more than once in NY - confused about eligibility

Yes, you can absolutely file for unemployment benefits more than once in New York! Each time you become unemployed through no fault of your own, you're potentially eligible for a new benefit year. The key thing is that you need to have worked and earned enough wages since your last claim to establish a new claim. NYS Department of Labor looks at your earnings in what they call the 'base period' - usually the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before you file.

yeah you can file multiple times, i've done it like 3 times over the years. each job loss is separate. just make sure you meet the work requirements again

The previous commenter is correct - there's no lifetime limit on unemployment claims in NY. However, you do need to meet the monetary eligibility requirements for each new claim. Since you worked for over a year at your warehouse job, you should definitely qualify. When you file your new claim, NYS Department of Labor will calculate your weekly benefit amount based on your recent wages, which might be different from your 2022 claim if your pay changed.

OMG I had the same exact worry when I got laid off again last year!! I thought maybe there was like a rule that you could only get unemployment once in your lifetime or something crazy like that. Turns out that's totally not true. I filed my second claim and everything went smoothly. The only annoying part was remembering all my employer info from the past 18 months for the application.

One thing to keep in mind - if you're having trouble getting through to NYS Department of Labor to ask questions about your eligibility, I recently discovered this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helps you actually reach a live agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. I used it when I had questions about my benefit calculation and was able to speak with someone within a few hours instead of spending days trying to call.

Just file online through my.ny.gov - it's pretty straightforward. You'll know right away if you're eligible or not. Don't overthink it!

I went through this exact same situation a few years ago! Filed in 2020 during the pandemic, then again in 2023 when my company had layoffs. The second time around was actually easier because I already had my NY.gov account set up. One tip - make sure you have all your recent employer information ready (dates, wages, reason for separation) because they'll ask for details about your work history since your last claim. The system will automatically check if you've earned enough to qualify for a new benefit year. Good luck with your application!

I was in almost the exact same situation as you! Filed for unemployment in NY back in 2021 after a restaurant closure, then had to file again in 2024 when my office job ended due to budget cuts. You're absolutely allowed to file multiple times - there's no limit as long as you meet the work and wage requirements for each new claim period. The main thing NYS DOL looks at is whether you've earned enough wages in covered employment since your last claim ended. Since you worked full-time at the warehouse for over a year, you should definitely qualify. Your benefit amount might be different this time depending on what your wages were at the warehouse job compared to your retail job back in 2022. I'd recommend filing sooner rather than later since there's usually a waiting period, and benefits are only backdated to when you actually file your claim. The online application will walk you through everything and let you know if you're eligible right away.

Just wanted to add another perspective here - I've filed for unemployment in NY three separate times over the past decade (2015, 2019, and 2022) and never had any issues with multiple claims. Each time was treated as completely separate, and the system automatically determined my eligibility based on my recent work history. The only thing that tripped me up the second time was that I forgot I needed to register with the job search system again, even though I had done it before. Make sure when you file that you complete all the required steps including any job search registration - it's easy to miss if you think you're already set up from your previous claim. The good news is that since you worked steadily between claims, you should have no problem qualifying for a new benefit year!

Adding to what everyone has said - you're definitely eligible to file again! I'm actually on my fourth unemployment claim in NY over the past 15 years (layoffs in different industries), and each time the process has been straightforward. The key thing that helped me was keeping good records of my employment between claims - dates, wages, employer contact info, etc. One small tip that saved me time: when you're filling out the work history section, they typically want information going back 18 months from your filing date, so have that timeframe ready. Also, if your warehouse job paid significantly more than your retail job in 2022, your weekly benefit amount will likely be higher this time around since it's calculated based on your more recent earnings. Don't stress about having used benefits before - that's literally what the system is designed for! File as soon as you can since there's usually a one-week waiting period anyway.

I just wanted to chime in as someone who works in HR and deals with unemployment claims regularly. Everything everyone has said is absolutely correct - there's no limit on how many times you can file for unemployment in NY as long as you meet the eligibility requirements for each new claim period. From what I've seen, the most common issue people run into when filing subsequent claims is not having enough wage credits in their base period, but since you worked full-time at the warehouse for over a year, you should be totally fine. The system will automatically calculate whether you have sufficient earnings when you file. One thing I always tell people is to file your claim on Sunday if possible - that's when the weekly cycle starts, so you won't lose any potential benefit days. And definitely don't wait too long thinking you need to have everything perfect before filing. You can always provide additional documentation later if needed, but you can't backdate your claim earlier than your actual filing date. Good luck with your application!

I'm so glad you asked this question because I was wondering the exact same thing! I filed for unemployment in NY back in 2020 during the pandemic and just got laid off again last week. I've been stressing about whether I could file again or if there was some kind of restriction. Reading all these responses has been incredibly helpful - it sounds like as long as you've worked enough since your last claim, you're good to go. I'm definitely going to follow the advice about filing on Sunday and having my employment history from the past 18 months ready. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - this thread is a lifesaver for people in our situation!

I'm actually going through this exact situation right now! Filed my first unemployment claim in NY back in early 2023 when my marketing job was eliminated, and just had to file again last month after getting laid off from a different company. Can confirm that you can absolutely file multiple times - there's no lifetime limit or anything like that. The second time around was actually much smoother since I already knew what to expect. Just make sure you have all your recent employment details ready (especially from jobs since your last claim ended) and don't stress about having used benefits before. The system treats each claim period completely separately. I'd definitely recommend following the advice others have given about filing on Sunday and not waiting too long to submit your application. Hope this helps ease your worries - you're definitely not alone in this situation!

As someone who just went through filing a second unemployment claim in NY, I wanted to add my voice to this conversation! I was in almost exactly the same situation - filed my first claim in 2021 after a restaurant closure, then had to file again last year when my retail job ended due to store closure. I was so nervous about filing the second time because I thought maybe there was a rule against it, but it turned out to be totally fine. The thing that helped me the most was calling the NY Department of Labor directly to ask about my eligibility before filing. Yes, the wait times are brutal, but once I got through, the representative was super helpful and confirmed that as long as you've worked enough since your last claim period ended, you're eligible for a new claim. She also mentioned that many people file multiple claims throughout their careers - it's completely normal! One thing I wish I had known: keep really good records of all your jobs between claims. They'll want detailed information about your work history, and having everything organized beforehand makes the application process much smoother. Also, don't delay filing once you're eligible - I learned that lesson the hard way by waiting almost two weeks after my job ended, thinking I needed to have everything perfectly prepared first.