Does NY unemployment cover missed work due to COVID infection?

Unemployment doesnt cover COVID absences anymore. That ended ages ago. You need to have lost your job or had hours reduced through no fault of your own. Being temporarily out sick doesn't qualify for regular unemployment benefits.

I was in the same situation last month! I couldn't get through to anyone at unemployment on the phone to even ask questions. Finally I found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) and they got me through to an actual human at ny unemployment who answered all my questions. Talking to an agent got my situation figured out so fast. It was the only way I could talk to a live agent! Here's a video explaining how it works: https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE

Regular unemployment won't cover this. You need to have been laid off or had significant hours reduction to qualify. The COVID specific programs all ended in 2021. Your best bet now would be to see if your employer offers any paid sick leave, or check if New York Paid Family Leave might apply (though I'm not sure if it covers your own illness or just caring for family members).

My SIL got covid in febuary and tried to claim. They denied her immediately. Said she was still "attached" to her employer and would be returning to work, so not eligible. The whole system is messed up.

See if ur eligible for NY Paid Family Leave or temporary disability. Those might cover COVID absences. Unemployment definitely won't tho.

Here's what you need to know about COVID and work absences in NY: First, unemployment benefits are NOT designed for temporary illness - they're for when you've lost your job entirely or had significant hours reduction. Having COVID doesn't qualify you for regular unemployment. What might apply to you: 1. If your employer has 5+ employees, they MUST provide sick leave under NY law. Even part-timers earn sick time (1 hour for every 30 worked). 2. NY Paid Family Leave expanded during COVID to cover quarantine periods, but only if you have a mandatory order of quarantine from the health department. 3. If you've worked for your employer long enough, you might qualify for short-term disability. 4. Some employers have their own COVID policies still in place. Your best bet is to call NY Dept of Labor directly to understand your options. Getting through on the phone can be a nightmare though. I used claimyr.com to connect with an agent and it was worth every penny - saved me hours of frustration and got all my questions answered. Don't just assume you have no options - but regular unemployment likely isn't the right program for your situation.

The city has some emergency funds for covid situations. Try calling 311 and explaining your situation.

I got covid back in march and my boss tried to tell me the same thing about not qualifying for sick pay as part-time. I called the department of labor and they said NY requires employers provide sick leave even to part-timers! The amount depends on company size but they cant just say no sick pay for part-timers. Might be worth checking into.

All those COVID relief programs are gone gone gone. We're back to the regular old system now where if ur sick, ur outta luck unless ur job has sick pay. Welcome to America 🤡

Check if you qualify for NYS Disability Benefits (DB). Its not much ($170/week max) but better than nothing if you qualify.

The federal programs that covered COVID ended long ago. You need to find out if your employer is required to provide sick leave under NY state law. The requirements changed in 2020 and many employers are still not following the rules correctly.

lmao welcome to america where getting sick means going broke

Just a quick tip: document EVERYTHING. If your employer is denying you something you're legally entitled to, having written evidence will save you later.

What about your company sick days? Even part-timers should get some sick time in NY state.

Have you looked into the NY State COVID sick leave law? It's separate from regular sick leave and unemployment. Your employer might be required to provide paid leave specifically for COVID regardless of your part-time status.