Do furloughed employees get unemployment benefits through NYS Department of Labor?

Yes, furloughed employees are generally eligible for unemployment benefits in New York! A furlough is considered a temporary layoff, so you should be able to file a claim with NYS Department of Labor. The key is that you're not working and not receiving wages. You'll need to file weekly claims and be available for work. Make sure you have your employer information ready when you file - you'll need their FEIN number and your last day worked.

I was furloughed for 6 weeks last year and got unemployment the whole time. You can file as soon as your last day of work. Just make sure when you do your weekly claims you mark that you're available for work even though you expect to return to your job. The tricky part is if your employer calls you back early - you have to stop claiming UI immediately when you return to work.

Just went through this nightmare trying to get through to NYS Department of Labor to ask questions about my furlough situation. Couldn't get anyone on the phone for weeks! Finally used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an actual person at the unemployment office. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Saved me so much frustration - was able to get my questions answered about whether my specific furlough situation qualified.

wait so if Im furloughed but my company said we might get called back in 2 weeks do I still qualify?? this is so confusing

The unemployment system is such a JOKE. I was furloughed for 3 months and it took NYS Department of Labor 6 weeks just to process my initial claim. Then they randomly decided I was overpaid and wanted money back even though I reported everything correctly. These government agencies don't care about working people at all!

I'm in a similar situation - my employer just told us about potential furloughs starting next month. From what I'm reading here, it sounds like we can file for unemployment as soon as we stop working and getting paid. @Chloe Martin, have you been able to file your claim yet? I'm trying to get all my paperwork together now so I'm ready when it happens. Does anyone know if there's a waiting period before benefits kick in for furloughed workers?

I went through a furlough situation last year and want to share some practical tips that helped me. First, yes you absolutely can file for unemployment in NY as a furloughed worker - you're essentially temporarily laid off. File your claim online at labor.ny.gov as soon as your last day of work ends. Make sure you have your Social Security card, driver's license, and employment info ready (employer name, address, dates of employment, reason for separation). One thing that caught me off guard - you'll need to certify for benefits every week, and you must be actively looking for work even though you expect to return to your job. Keep a log of your job search activities just in case they audit your claim. The good news is if you do get called back early from furlough, you just stop claiming benefits - no penalties as long as you report it immediately. The whole process was actually smoother than I expected once I got started.

I just went through the furlough unemployment process in NY a few months ago and wanted to add a few things that really helped me. First, definitely file your claim online at labor.ny.gov the day after your last day of work - don't wait! The system can be slow to process claims so getting in early is key. One thing I wish someone had told me is to take screenshots of everything when you file and save confirmation numbers. I had a glitch where my claim seemed to disappear from the system and having those screenshots saved me weeks of hassle. Also, when you're doing your weekly certifications, there's usually a question about whether you expect to return to work - answer honestly that yes, you expect to return to your employer after the furlough. This won't disqualify you since you're still unemployed right now. The job search requirement can feel weird when you're furloughed, but I just applied to a few positions each week in my field and kept records. You never know - the furlough might become permanent, so it doesn't hurt to keep your options open anyway.

I'm currently going through a furlough situation too - started last Monday. Just wanted to confirm what others have said: yes, you can definitely file for unemployment benefits in NY as a furloughed employee! I filed my claim online the day after my last work day and it was pretty straightforward. The system asks about your employment status and there's an option for "temporarily laid off" which covers furloughs. One tip that helped me - when they ask for your employer's information, make sure you have their full legal business name and FEIN number ready. You can usually find this on your pay stub or W-2. Also, don't stress too much about the job search requirement - I've been applying to a few positions each week just to meet the requirement, but you're not expected to take another job if your employer calls you back early. The benefits have been processing normally for me so far. Hang in there - this situation is stressful but the unemployment system does work for furloughed workers!