How do I refile for unemployment with NYS Department of Labor after my benefit year ended?
My benefit year just expired last week and I'm still unemployed. I got a notice saying I need to refile but I'm confused about the whole process. Do I start completely over or is there a way to continue my existing claim? I've been looking for work this whole time but haven't found anything yet. The my.ny.gov website isn't very clear about what steps to take next. Has anyone gone through refiling recently?
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Sofia Rodriguez
Yes, you'll need to file a completely new initial claim through the NYS Department of Labor website. Your old claim is done - you can't just extend it. Go to labor.ny.gov and click on 'File a Claim' just like you did the first time. Make sure you have your employment history for the past 18 months ready because they'll ask for all your employers again.
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NightOwl42
AuthorDo I need to wait for my old claim to officially close or can I file the new one right away? I don't want any gaps in benefits if possible.
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Dmitry Ivanov
i refiled last month and it was pretty straightforward. took about 20 minutes online. just treated it like filing for the first time again
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Ava Thompson
File immediately - don't wait. The NYS Department of Labor processes new claims faster than reactivations anyway. You'll need your Social Security card, driver's license, and detailed work history. If you worked at all during your last benefit year, those wages might qualify you for a higher weekly benefit amount on the new claim. The system will automatically calculate whether to use your old base period or establish a new one based on whichever gives you more money.
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Miguel Herrera
Wait, this is confusing me too. If I worked part-time jobs while collecting benefits, do those wages count toward a new claim? I thought you couldn't double-dip.
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Ava Thompson
Not double-dipping at all. Any wages you earned (whether while on UI or not) during your base period can establish eligibility for a new claim. The NYS Department of Labor looks at your highest quarter earnings to set your new weekly benefit rate.
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Zainab Ali
ugh the whole system is so confusing!! why cant they just automatically refile for you if you're still unemployed?? seems like such a waste of time to make people jump through hoops again
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Connor Murphy
I had the worst time trying to refile back in September. Kept getting error messages on the website and when I finally got through to someone at NYS Department of Labor after calling for literally 3 hours, they told me my Social Security number was flagged for some reason. Turns out there was a duplicate claim from 2019 that never got resolved properly. If you run into problems getting through to them by phone, I found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that actually connects you to a real person at the unemployment office. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Saved me so much frustration trying to get my refiling issue sorted out.
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Yara Nassar
Never heard of that service before. Did they charge you anything or is it free?
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Connor Murphy
It's not free but honestly worth it when you're stuck and can't get through on your own. Way better than spending entire days redialing the same number.
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Dmitry Ivanov
one thing to remember is you still need to keep doing your job search activities even during the refiling process. dont skip your weekly certifications either
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Ava Garcia
Just went through this same situation about 3 weeks ago! The key thing is to file your new claim as soon as your benefit year ends - don't wait. I made the mistake of waiting a few days thinking I needed some kind of official notice, but you can file immediately. The whole process took me about 30 minutes online. One tip: have your bank account info ready because they'll ask if you want direct deposit set up again. Also, if you've been keeping track of your job search activities, make sure you have those records handy because they might ask about what you've been doing to look for work. The waiting period for the new claim was only about a week for me, much faster than my original claim last year.
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