Do you get more NYS Department of Labor unemployment benefits if you have a child?
I just had my first baby three months ago and I'm wondering if having a dependent child means I'll get higher unemployment benefits from NYS Department of Labor? My sister lives in another state and she said her unemployment amount went up when she had kids, but I can't find clear info about this for New York. Does anyone know if NYS Department of Labor calculates benefits differently for parents? I'm about to file my initial claim and want to make sure I understand how this works.
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Camila Castillo
New York unemployment benefits are based solely on your previous earnings during your base period, not on the number of dependents you have. Your weekly benefit amount is calculated as a percentage of your average weekly wage from the highest quarter of your base period. Having children doesn't increase your NYS Department of Labor benefit amount, unlike some other states that do provide dependency allowances.
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Samuel Robinson
•That's disappointing but thanks for the clear answer. I was hoping it might help since daycare costs are so expensive.
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Brianna Muhammad
yeah unfortunately NY doesn't give extra for kids like some states do, learned this the hard way when I had my second child last year and was collecting UI
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JaylinCharles
While you won't get more money from NYS Department of Labor for having a child, you should definitely look into other support programs like SNAP, WIC, and child care assistance through local social services. Also, when you do your job search requirements, having a young child might qualify you for certain exemptions or modifications to the work search rules if you're having trouble finding appropriate childcare.
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Samuel Robinson
•Good point about the job search requirements! I hadn't thought about that aspect. Do you know who I would contact at NYS Department of Labor to discuss childcare-related job search issues?
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JaylinCharles
•You'd need to speak with a claims specialist about your specific situation. The problem is getting through to someone at NYS Department of Labor can be really frustrating with their phone system. I actually used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) recently that helped me get connected to an agent much faster. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Made the whole process way less stressful than trying to call repeatedly myself.
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Eloise Kendrick
Wait I'm confused - I thought having dependents meant you could get more money? That doesn't make sense that they wouldn't consider kids when calculating benefits. What if you can't afford childcare to go back to work? This system is so messed up!
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Camila Castillo
•I understand the frustration, but unemployment insurance is designed to replace a portion of your lost wages, not provide family support based on household size. That's handled through other social service programs. The weekly benefit amount is strictly tied to your work history and earnings.
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Lucas Schmidt
Been through this twice with NYS Department of Labor and can confirm - no extra money for kids. But like someone else mentioned, definitely apply for other assistance programs. Also make sure you're claiming the child tax credit when you file taxes next year, that can be a decent chunk of money.
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Anastasia Sokolov
I'm in a similar situation - just started my unemployment claim after being laid off and I have two young kids. While it's disappointing that NY doesn't provide dependency allowances like some other states, I did want to mention that you should make sure you're calculating your benefits based on your highest earning quarter. When I filed, I initially missed that detail and thought my benefit amount would be lower than it actually was. Also, if you were working part-time or had irregular hours because of childcare responsibilities, that might affect your base period calculation. It's worth double-checking all your wage information when you file to make sure they have everything correct.
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