How can you draw unemployment benefits in New York - NYS Department of Labor eligibility question
I'm really confused about how you can draw unemployment benefits in New York. I got laid off from my warehouse job last month and everyone keeps telling me different things about who qualifies. Some people say you have to work a certain amount of time, others say it's about how much you earned. I went to the NYS Department of Labor website but it's so confusing with all the technical language. Can someone explain in simple terms what you need to qualify to draw unemployment? I worked full time for about 8 months before getting laid off but I'm not sure if that's enough time. Also do you have to be actively looking for work right away or can you take some time off first?
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CosmicCruiser
To draw unemployment in NY you need to meet the base period requirements. You must have worked and earned wages in at least 2 quarters of your base period and earned at least $2,600 total. Your base period is usually the first 4 of the last 5 completed quarters before you file. Since you worked 8 months full time you should definitely qualify. You also need to be unemployed through no fault of your own (layoffs count) and be able and available for work. Yes you must actively search for work and report your job search activities on your weekly claims.
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Mateo Hernandez
•Thank you! That makes more sense. So I should apply right away then? I was thinking of taking a few weeks off but sounds like I need to start looking for work immediately.
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Aisha Khan
definitely apply asap! i waited like 3 weeks after getting laid off and regretted it because you can't get benefits for the weeks before you file. the job search thing is real too - they want to see that you're applying to jobs every week
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Ethan Taylor
•Actually you can request benefits for up to one week prior to filing your initial claim, but yeah definitely don't wait longer than that. The NYS Department of Labor is pretty strict about the job search requirements now.
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Yuki Ito
I had a nightmare trying to get through to NYS Department of Labor when I had questions about my eligibility. Spent literally hours on hold just to get disconnected. If you run into issues reaching them by phone I found this service called Claimyr that helps you get through to an actual agent. Check out claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Saved me so much frustration when I needed to verify my claim status.
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Carmen Lopez
•Never heard of that before but might be worth looking into. The NYS Department of Labor phone system is absolutely terrible.
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Andre Dupont
Just want to add that when you file make sure you have all your employment info ready - employer names, addresses, dates of employment, and reason for separation. The NYS Department of Labor will verify everything with your employers so don't guess on dates or details.
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QuantumQuasar
ugh the whole system is such a mess. took me forever to figure out how to even apply online and then they made me wait weeks for adjudication. good luck dealing with that bureaucracy
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CosmicCruiser
•The initial application process has actually improved a lot recently. Most straightforward cases get approved within 1-2 weeks now if you provide complete information upfront.
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