Can you get unemployment after a contract job ends - NYS Department of Labor eligibility?
My 6-month contract position with a marketing firm just ended last week and I'm wondering if I can file for unemployment benefits through NYS Department of Labor. The contract was through a staffing agency but I worked full-time hours and had taxes taken out. I've heard mixed things about whether contract workers qualify for UI benefits. Has anyone successfully gotten unemployment after their contract ended? What documentation did you need to provide to NYS Department of Labor?
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Ev Luca
Yes, you can definitely get unemployment after a contract job ends! The key factor is whether you were classified as a W-2 employee or a 1099 contractor. If you had taxes withheld and received a W-2, you should qualify for UI benefits. When you file your claim with NYS Department of Labor, you'll need your contract end date and the reason for separation. Make sure to list the staffing agency as your employer since they were paying you.
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Lukas Fitzgerald
AuthorThanks! I did get a W-2 so that sounds promising. Do I need any special paperwork from the staffing agency or just the usual stuff?
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Avery Davis
I went through this exact situation 3 months ago. Contract ended, filed for unemployment, and got approved within 2 weeks. The main thing NYS Department of Labor will ask is why the contract ended - in my case it was completion of the project which they considered a lack of work. Just be honest about the end date and circumstances on your weekly claims.
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Collins Angel
Wait I thought contractors couldn't get unemployment?? This is confusing because my friend who does freelance work said she couldn't apply for benefits when her gigs dried up.
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Ev Luca
Your friend was probably a 1099 independent contractor, which is different. If you're a W-2 employee working through a staffing agency on a contract basis, you're still considered an employee for unemployment purposes.
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Marcelle Drum
Been doing contract work for years and yeah you can get UI between contracts as long as you were a W-2 employee. The tricky part is sometimes NYS Department of Labor takes forever to process these claims because they have to verify the employment relationship with the staffing agency. Last time it took me almost a month to get my first payment because of back and forth paperwork.
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Tate Jensen
If you're having trouble getting through to NYS Department of Labor to check on your claim status or get answers about contract work eligibility, I recently used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me reach an actual agent. They have a video demo showing how it works: https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI. Was super helpful when I needed to verify some employment dates for my claim.
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Lukas Fitzgerald
AuthorInteresting, I might need that if I run into issues. The NYS Department of Labor phone lines are always busy when I try to call.
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Adaline Wong
Just file the claim! Worst case they deny it and you can appeal. But if you were paying into the unemployment system through payroll deductions, you should be eligible. I've done tons of contract work and never had an issue getting benefits between contracts.
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Connor Murphy
I'm in a similar situation - my 4-month contract with a tech company just ended and I'm nervous about filing for unemployment. Reading through these responses is really helpful! One question - when you file the initial claim, do you put the staffing agency's information or the client company where you actually worked? I'm worried about getting this wrong and causing delays in my claim processing.
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