Can you renew unemployment benefits after they expire in NY?
My unemployment benefits just ran out last week after 26 weeks and I'm still looking for work. I know you can't just automatically renew unemployment but is there any way to get more benefits? I've been applying to jobs every week and documenting everything in my job search log like required. Do I need to file a completely new claim or is there some kind of extension process? Really stressed about this since I haven't found anything yet despite dozens of applications.
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Aisha Mahmood
Unfortunately you can't just 'renew' regular unemployment benefits in NY. Once you exhaust your 26 weeks, that's it unless there are special federal extensions (which there aren't right now). You could potentially file a new claim if you worked enough in the past year to establish a new benefit year, but you'd need to meet the wage requirements again.
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Mateo Sanchez
•So if I worked for 8 months before filing my original claim, I might qualify for a new one? How do I check if I have enough wages?
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Ethan Moore
same thing happened to me few months ago, benefits just stopped and thats it. really sucks when you're still unemployed but the system just cuts you off
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Yuki Kobayashi
You need to look at your wage history in your my.ny.gov account. For a new benefit year, you need wages in at least 2 quarters and meet the minimum wage requirements. If you worked right up until you filed your first claim, you might have enough wages that weren't counted in your original claim to start a new benefit year.
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Carmen Vega
•I tried checking my wage history online but it's not showing recent quarters. Does NYS Department of Labor take time to update employer wage reports? I'm worried my recent work won't show up.
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Yuki Kobayashi
•Yes, there can be delays in wage reporting. If you need to verify wages that aren't showing up online, you might need to call NYS Department of Labor directly, though getting through can be challenging with their call volume.
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QuantumQuester
I was in the exact same situation last year - benefits expired and I was panicking. Tried calling NYS Department of Labor for weeks but kept getting hung up on or stuck in endless hold. Finally used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that gets you connected to an actual agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Got through same day and the agent helped me figure out I qualified for a new claim.
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Mateo Sanchez
•Really? How does that work exactly? I've been trying to call for days with no luck.
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QuantumQuester
•They basically handle the calling process for you and connect you when an agent becomes available. Way better than sitting on hold for hours just to get disconnected.
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Andre Moreau
THE WHOLE SYSTEM IS DESIGNED TO CUT PEOPLE OFF!! They make it so confusing on purpose so people don't know they might qualify for a new claim. And good luck actually reaching someone at NYS Department of Labor to get help figuring it out!
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Zoe Stavros
Keep in mind that if you do qualify for a new benefit year, your weekly benefit amount might be different since it's calculated from your most recent wage history. Also make sure you're still meeting all the job search requirements even between claims.
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Alejandro Castro
@Mateo Sanchez - I went through this exact situation about 6 months ago. First thing you should do is log into your my.ny.gov account and check your "Benefit Year" dates - it'll show when your current benefit year ends. If it's been a full year since you first filed, you might be eligible for a new benefit year if you worked enough during that time. The key is whether you have sufficient wages in quarters that weren't used for your original claim calculation. Even if you only worked part-time or had a brief job during your benefit year, those wages could potentially qualify you for a new claim. Don't give up - many people don't realize they might be eligible for a second benefit year!
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Sofia Peña
•@Alejandro Castro This is really helpful! I didn t'realize there might be a difference between my benefit year ending and being able to file a new claim. When you filed your second claim, did you have to go through the whole application process again or was there a simpler way to do it? Also, did your weekly benefit amount change much from your first claim?
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Ravi Sharma
•@Alejandro Castro Thanks for sharing your experience! I m'going to check my benefit year dates right now. When you say quarters "that weren t'used for your original claim calculation -" does that mean if I worked during the time I was collecting benefits, those wages could count toward a new claim? I did have a part-time job for about 2 months during my benefit period but it wasn t'enough hours to stop my benefits completely. Really hoping this might be the solution I need!
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Anita George
•@Alejandro Castro This is exactly what I needed to hear! I just checked my benefit year dates and it looks like my original benefit year is ending next month. I did work for about 3 months part-time during my benefit period, so hopefully those wages will count toward a new claim. Did you have any issues with the timing - like do you have to wait for your benefit year to completely end before filing the new claim, or can you file right away after exhausting your 26 weeks? I m'worried about having a gap in benefits while waiting for the new claim to process.
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Zara Rashid
•@Alejandro Castro @Anita George I just went through this process last month! You can actually file a new claim as soon as your benefits are exhausted - you don t have'to wait for the benefit year to end. The key thing is that NYS looks at your base period "wages, which" are typically the first 4 of the last 5 completed quarters before you file. So if you worked during your benefit period, those wages will likely fall into a new base period for your second claim. Just make sure you have enough wages to meet the minimum requirements. When I filed my new claim, my weekly benefit amount was actually higher because my recent part-time work counted toward the calculation. The processing time was about the same as my first claim - roughly 2-3 weeks.
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