Do seasonal employees get unemployment benefits from NYS Department of Labor?
I worked at a summer camp in the Adirondacks from May through August and my employment ended when the season finished. I'm wondering if I can file for unemployment benefits through NYS Department of Labor since it was seasonal work? The camp told us we'd be laid off at the end of summer but didn't give us any info about UI benefits. Has anyone been in this situation before?
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Lucas Lindsey
Yes, seasonal employees are generally eligible for unemployment benefits in New York as long as you meet the standard requirements. You need to have earned enough wages during your base period and be able and available for work. The fact that your job was seasonal doesn't disqualify you from receiving UI benefits.
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Emma Olsen
•Thanks! Do I need to prove I'm looking for work even though most seasonal jobs won't start hiring until next spring?
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Sophie Duck
I worked seasonal at a ski resort and got unemployment no problem. You just file your weekly claims like anyone else. The key thing is you have to be available for other types of work, not just waiting around for next season to start.
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Austin Leonard
•This is important - you can't just sit around waiting for your seasonal job to come back. NYS Department of Labor expects you to actively search for work.
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Anita George
wait so if i work at the same place every summer do i have to reapply for unemployment every year?? this seems confusing
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Lucas Lindsey
•If you have a reasonable assurance of returning to the same seasonal employer, that might affect your eligibility. You should check with NYS Department of Labor about your specific situation since there are different rules for different types of seasonal work.
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Abigail Spencer
I had trouble getting through to NYS Department of Labor to ask about my seasonal work situation last year. Kept getting busy signals and when I did get through I was on hold forever. Eventually found this service called Claimyr at claimyr.com that helped me get connected to an actual agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Made the whole process way less stressful.
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Emma Olsen
•That sounds helpful! I've been dreading trying to call them because I know how hard it is to get through.
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Logan Chiang
Just make sure you file your claim right away after your seasonal job ends. Don't wait thinking you need to look for work first - you can start the process immediately and then do your job search while your claim is being processed.
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Nia Thompson
I'm in a similar situation - just finished my seasonal job at a resort in the Catskills. One thing I learned is that you should gather all your employment documents before filing. NYS Department of Labor will want to see your wages from all employers in your base period, not just the seasonal job. Also, if you worked for the same seasonal employer in previous years, that history can actually help establish your work pattern and eligibility. Don't let the seasonal nature of the work discourage you from applying - you earned those wages and paid into the system.
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