Does spouse income affect unemployment benefits with NYS Department of Labor?

No, your spouse's income does not affect your unemployment benefits in New York. NYS Department of Labor calculates your weekly benefit amount based solely on your own earnings history from the base period (usually the first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters before you filed). Your husband's income is completely irrelevant to your UI claim eligibility and benefit calculation.

this is different from other programs like food stamps right? because I know some government benefits do look at household income

I was in the same situation last year when my company had layoffs. My wife makes good money and I was stressed about it affecting my claim. But like others said, NYS Department of Labor only cares about YOUR work history. The only thing that might complicate things is if you're filing jointly for taxes, but that doesn't impact the UI calculation itself. Just make sure you have all your employment documentation ready if you do need to file.

Wait but don't they ask about household members when you apply? I remember seeing questions about that on the application

If you're having trouble getting through to NYS Department of Labor to verify this or ask other questions about your potential claim, I had good luck using Claimyr (claimyr.com). They helped me get connected to an actual agent when I couldn't get through the regular phone lines. There's a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Really saved me hours of calling and getting busy signals.

Just want to add that even though spouse income doesn't affect your UI benefits, you still need to meet all the other eligibility requirements - like being able and available for work, actively searching for jobs, etc. Don't forget about the work search requirements once you're collecting!

One thing I'd add is to start gathering your employment documents now just in case - pay stubs, W-2s, any separation paperwork if you do get laid off. NYS Department of Labor will need detailed employment history and wage information to calculate your benefits. Having everything organized ahead of time will make the process much smoother if you do need to file. Also, if the layoff happens, file your claim right away - benefits aren't retroactive to when you lost your job, only from when you file the claim.

Just to reinforce what everyone else is saying - your husband's income absolutely will not impact your unemployment benefits with NYS Department of Labor. I went through this exact situation two years ago when I got laid off from my marketing job. My partner makes significantly more than I did, and I was panicking that we wouldn't qualify. But unemployment insurance in NY is based entirely on YOUR work history and wage credits. The system looks at your individual earnings from your base period (typically the first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters before filing) to determine both eligibility and weekly benefit amount. It's completely separate from household income considerations that you might see with programs like SNAP or Medicaid. Focus on making sure you have sufficient wage credits from your 6 years of work - with your salary history, you should be in good shape if you do need to file a claim.

I've been through this process recently and can confirm what everyone else is saying - spouse income has zero impact on NYS unemployment benefits. When I filed my claim last fall, they never even asked about my wife's earnings. The entire calculation is based on YOUR quarterly wages during the base period. One small tip though - if you do get laid off, make sure to file your initial claim online rather than trying to call. The online system is much faster and you can do it 24/7. The phone lines are often jammed, especially on Mondays. Also, keep detailed records of your job search activities from day one since you'll need to certify weekly that you're actively looking for work. Good luck and hopefully the layoff doesn't happen!