Do churches pay unemployment benefits in NYS - fired from church job, can I file?

Churches in New York generally DO pay into the unemployment insurance system unless they specifically elected to be exempt. Most churches are subject to NYS Department of Labor unemployment taxes just like any other employer. You should absolutely file your claim - the worst they can say is no, but many church employees are eligible for benefits.

i worked at a church for 3 years and when they laid me off i got unemployment no problem. just file your weekly claims like normal, the NYS Department of Labor system doesn't really care what type of employer it was as long as they paid into the fund

There are some exceptions but they're pretty rare. Churches that employ fewer than 4 people in 20 weeks of the year might be exempt, or if they specifically filed for religious exemption status. But most established churches with regular staff pay unemployment taxes. When you file with NYS Department of Labor, they'll verify your employer's status automatically during the adjudication process.

I had such a hard time getting through to NYS Department of Labor when I needed to check on my church employment eligibility. Kept getting disconnected after waiting on hold forever. Finally used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get through to an actual agent who confirmed my church job qualified. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Saved me so much frustration trying to call on my own.

just file already!! why are you overthinking this so much, if you worked there and they fired you then you deserve benefits. the church probably paid into unemployment like every other business, stop worrying about it

My sister went through the same thing when her church cut staff last year. She was worried about the religious aspect too but got approved for benefits right away. NYS Department of Labor treats church employees just like any other workers for the most part.

I went through something similar when I was let go from my position at a Catholic parish a few years ago. I was hesitant to file at first because I thought religious organizations might be different, but it turned out my church had been paying unemployment taxes the whole time. The NYS Department of Labor processed my claim just like any other employer. My advice would be to go ahead and file - you can do it online through the NY.gov website and they'll determine your eligibility based on your employer's status. Even if you're unsure, there's no penalty for applying and finding out you're not eligible. Good luck with your claim!

I'm in a similar boat - just started working at a synagogue a few months ago and wasn't sure about the unemployment situation if things don't work out. From reading everyone's responses it sounds like most religious organizations in NY do participate in the unemployment system. It's reassuring to know that filing won't cause any issues even if there's uncertainty about eligibility. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences, this thread has been really informative for those of us working in religious organizations!

I was in a very similar situation last year when I got laid off from my job as a youth coordinator at a Methodist church in upstate NY. I was so worried about the religious exemption issue that I almost didn't file, but I'm glad I did! My claim was approved without any issues. The church had been paying unemployment taxes all along. The NYS Department of Labor representatives I spoke with said that most churches in New York do participate in the system unless they're very small operations. Don't let the religious aspect discourage you from filing - you earned those benefits through your work. The online application process was straightforward and I received my first payment within a few weeks. Best of luck with your claim!