Does unemployment pay for holidays in New York - confused about weekly claims
I'm really confused about how holidays work with unemployment benefits in NY. I've been filing my weekly claims regularly but this week includes Christmas and I'm not sure if I'm supposed to certify differently or if unemployment pays extra for the holiday? My cousin said something about holiday pay but I can't find anything clear on the NYS Department of Labor website. Do I still need to do my job search activities during the holiday week? I don't want to mess up my claim by doing something wrong.
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Oliver Fischer
Unemployment benefits don't provide extra holiday pay like a regular job would. You still file your weekly claim the same way during holiday weeks. The NYS Department of Labor system processes claims normally even when state offices are closed for holidays. Your benefit amount stays the same regardless of what day of the week the holiday falls on.
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Amina Sy
AuthorOh ok that makes sense. So I just file like normal even though Christmas is in the middle of the week?
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Natasha Ivanova
yeah no extra money for holidays unfortunately lol... been on unemployment for 3 months and holidays are just regular days as far as benefits go
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NebulaNomad
For job search requirements during holiday weeks, you still need to complete your required work search activities. However, many employers and employment agencies have reduced hours during major holidays, so document your efforts even if responses are limited. Keep records of any applications submitted or contacts made during the holiday period for your job search log.
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Javier Garcia
This is actually really helpful - I was worried about not being able to reach anyone during Christmas week for job searches but sounds like as long as I document my attempts I should be fine?
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NebulaNomad
Exactly! The NYS Department of Labor understands that business operations are different during major holidays. Just keep detailed records of your job search activities and any responses (or lack thereof) you receive.
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Emma Taylor
I had trouble reaching someone at NYS Department of Labor last month about a similar question regarding my weekly certification. The phone lines were constantly busy and I kept getting disconnected. A friend told me about claimyr.com - it's a service that helps you get through to unemployment agents. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Ended up being really helpful for getting my questions answered directly instead of guessing.
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Malik Robinson
never heard of that before but might be worth checking out, the NYS Department of Labor phone system is absolutely terrible
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Isabella Silva
Wait I'm confused now... so if I normally get paid on Wednesday but this week Wednesday is Christmas, do I still get my unemployment deposit? Or does it get delayed because of the bank holiday?
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Oliver Fischer
Bank holidays can delay direct deposits, but that's separate from your unemployment eligibility. If your normal deposit day falls on a federal holiday, most banks process it the next business day. Check with your bank about their holiday processing schedule.
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Mei Wong
Just to add to what others have said - I've been collecting unemployment in NY for about 6 months now and can confirm that holiday weeks are treated exactly the same as regular weeks. You still need to certify for benefits by your usual deadline (typically Sunday night), complete your work search requirements, and report any work or income as normal. The only difference might be that your payment could be delayed by a day if it normally comes on the actual holiday due to banking processing, but the state will still process your claim. Don't overthink it - just follow your regular routine!
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