How long can I draw unemployment benefits through NYS Department of Labor?

The standard unemployment benefit period in New York is 26 weeks (6 months) of regular UI benefits. This is back to the pre-pandemic levels. You'll need to file your weekly claims every week and meet the job search requirements to continue receiving payments. Make sure you're documenting your job search activities because NYS Department of Labor can request to see your records at any time.

yeah its 26 weeks but you gotta keep certifying every week and do the job search stuff or they'll cut you off. also if you work part time while collecting they'll reduce your weekly benefit amount

I collected for the full 26 weeks last year after getting laid off from my manufacturing job. The key is staying on top of your weekly claims - I missed one week and it was a huge hassle to get it straightened out with NYS Department of Labor. Also keep track of every job you apply to because they randomly audit people.

Just want to add that if you exhaust your 26 weeks and still haven't found work, there usually aren't extended benefits available anymore like there were during the pandemic. So make sure you're actively job searching from day one, not waiting until week 20 to get serious about it.

I was in a similar situation last year and honestly the 26 weeks went by faster than I expected. If you're having trouble reaching NYS Department of Labor by phone to ask questions about your claim, I found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helps you get through to an actual agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Really saved me when I had issues with my weekly claim getting stuck.

Make sure you understand the job search requirements too - you need to make at least 3 job contacts per week and keep detailed records. NYS Department of Labor is pretty strict about this stuff now.