How long at a job to get unemployment benefits from NYS Department of Labor?
I just started a new position two months ago but things aren't going well and I might get let go soon. I'm worried about whether I'll qualify for unemployment if that happens. Does anyone know how long you need to work at a job before you can collect benefits from NYS Department of Labor? I've been working steady for the past 3 years at different places but this current job is pretty new. Will they look at just this job or my whole work history when determining if I qualify?
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Mason Davis
NYS Department of Labor looks at your entire work history for the base period, not just your current job. They examine earnings from the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before you file. So if you've been working steadily for 3 years, you should have enough work credits to qualify. The minimum is usually around $2,600 in one quarter and total earnings of at least $3,900 in the base period.
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Sophia Miller
•That's a relief! I was panicking thinking it was just about the current job. So even if I only worked here 2 months, my previous jobs count toward the work requirement?
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Mia Rodriguez
yeah i got fired after like 6 weeks once and still got benefits. its about your earnings over the whole period not how long you stayed at one place
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Jacob Lewis
Just make sure you understand the reason for separation too. If you get fired for misconduct or quit without good cause, you could be disqualified regardless of how much you worked. But if they lay you off or fire you for performance issues (not misconduct), you should be fine with your work history.
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Sophia Miller
•It would definitely be performance related if anything happens. The job requirements weren't clearly explained and I'm struggling to meet their expectations. That shouldn't count as misconduct right?
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Jacob Lewis
•No, struggling with job performance isn't misconduct. Misconduct is more like stealing, being drunk at work, or willful violation of company policies. Performance issues usually don't disqualify you from benefits.
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Amelia Martinez
I had trouble reaching someone at NYS Department of Labor when I had questions about my base period earnings. Their phone lines are always busy and the online system doesn't always show detailed breakdowns. I ended up using claimyr.com which helped me get through to an actual agent who could explain my work history calculation. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Made the whole process way less stressful than trying to call for hours.
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Ethan Clark
•Never heard of that but anything is better than sitting on hold forever. NYS Department of Labor customer service is impossible to reach these days.
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Mila Walker
Don't stress too much about it. With 3 years of steady work you definitely have enough credits. The system is designed to help people who've been contributing through their paychecks. Just keep documentation of your work history and wages in case they need verification during the application process.
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