How do I renew my unemployment benefits with NYS Department of Labor after claim expires?
My unemployment claim is about to hit the one year mark and I'm getting nervous about what happens next. I've been filing my weekly claims consistently but I heard somewhere that you have to renew after a year? I'm still unemployed and looking for work so I definitely need to keep getting benefits. The NYS Department of Labor website isn't super clear about this process. Do I need to file a whole new claim or is there some kind of renewal form? I really can't afford any gaps in payments right now.
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Evelyn Kelly
You don't actually 'renew' unemployment benefits in the traditional sense. In New York, regular unemployment benefits last up to 26 weeks within your benefit year. If you've exhausted those 26 weeks and you're still unemployed, you would need to file a new claim if you have sufficient work history since your last claim. The benefit year itself is 52 weeks from when you first filed, during which you can claim up to 26 weeks of benefits.
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Kiara Greene
•Wait so if I've been collecting for 26 weeks already, I can't get any more benefits even though my benefit year hasn't ended yet?
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Paloma Clark
The previous answer is correct. Once you exhaust your 26 weeks of regular benefits, you'd need to file a new claim. But here's the catch - you need to have worked and earned sufficient wages since your original claim date to qualify for a new claim. If you haven't worked enough, you might not be eligible for a new claim even if you're still unemployed. The NYS Department of Labor will review your work history automatically when you file the new claim.
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Heather Tyson
•This is exactly what happened to me last year. I ran out of benefits and couldn't get a new claim because I hadn't worked enough hours. It's a really frustrating situation.
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Raul Neal
ugh the unemployment system is so confusing!! i thought once you were approved you just kept getting benefits as long as you were unemployed. finding out about the 26 week limit was such a shock
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Evelyn Kelly
•It's definitely confusing! The 26-week limit has been the standard for regular unemployment insurance for years, though during the pandemic there were extended benefits available.
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Jenna Sloan
If you're having trouble getting through to NYS Department of Labor to ask about your specific situation, I had good luck using a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get connected to an actual agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. It was way easier than trying to call the regular number and getting hung up on constantly. Definitely worth checking out if you need to speak to someone about filing a new claim.
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Christian Burns
•How much does something like that cost? I'm already tight on money with benefits ending soon.
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Jenna Sloan
•It's really reasonable compared to the stress of trying to get through on your own. The main thing is it actually works - I was able to get my questions answered about my claim status instead of just getting disconnected over and over.
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Sasha Reese
I'm in a similar boat - my benefit year is ending next month but I still have like 8 weeks of benefits left that I haven't used yet. Do those just disappear or can I still claim them somehow?
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Paloma Clark
•You can continue filing your weekly claims for those remaining 8 weeks until your benefit year ends. You don't lose unused weeks within your benefit year as long as you continue to be eligible and file your claims on time.
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Hunter Edmunds
Just wanted to add that you should definitely file a new claim as soon as your benefit year ends if you're still unemployed, even if you're not sure you'll qualify. The worst they can say is no, but you might be surprised - sometimes people have earned more wages than they realize from part-time work or gig work that could qualify them. Also, make sure you keep filing your weekly claims right up until your benefit year ends so you don't miss any payments you're entitled to. The transition can be seamless if you file the new claim right away.
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Emma Wilson
•This is really helpful advice! I didn't know you could file a new claim even if you weren't sure about qualifying. Quick question - when you say "file a new claim as soon as your benefit year ends," do you mean like the day after it expires or can you file it a few days before? I'm worried about timing this wrong and missing out on benefits I might be entitled to.
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