How long can u receive unemployment benefits in NY - confused about duration limits
hey everyone, i just started getting unemployment and im trying to figure out how long i can actually collect benefits for. my cousin said its only like 3 months but that seems really short? i lost my warehouse job in december and filed my claim right away. everything got approved pretty quick but now im worried about running out of time to find something new. does anyone know the actual limit for how long you can receive unemployment in NY? also do i need to keep filing those weekly claims the whole time or does it automatically continue?
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Anastasia Sokolov
In New York, you can receive unemployment benefits for up to 26 weeks (that's about 6 months) during a 12-month benefit year. Your cousin was definitely wrong about the 3 months. You do need to file your weekly claims every single week to continue receiving benefits - it doesn't happen automatically. Make sure you're also meeting the job search requirements, which is typically 3 work search activities per week.
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Diego Ramirez
•oh wow 26 weeks is way better than 3 months! thanks for clearing that up. what counts as work search activities though?
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Sean O'Connor
Just to add to what was said above - the 26 weeks is the maximum, but it depends on how much you worked before filing. NYS Department of Labor calculates your benefit duration based on your earnings in the base period. Some people might get less than 26 weeks if they didn't work enough. You can check your exact benefit duration in your my.ny.gov account under the claim summary.
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Diego Ramirez
•i worked full time for like 2 years before getting laid off so i should get the full amount right?
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Sean O'Connor
•Yeah, with 2 years of full-time work you should definitely qualify for the full 26 weeks. Just make sure you keep filing those weekly claims on time!
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Zara Ahmed
The system is so confusing honestly. I've been on unemployment twice and each time I had to call NYS Department of Labor like 50 times just to get basic answers about my claim duration and requirements. Half the time you can't even get through to anyone.
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Luca Conti
•I had the same problem trying to reach them about my benefit duration questions. What finally worked for me was using this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helps you get through to unemployment agents. They have this video demo that shows exactly how it works: https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI. Saved me hours of redialing and actually got me connected to someone who could explain my exact benefit period.
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Zara Ahmed
•Never heard of that but honestly anything is better than sitting on hold for 3 hours just to get hung up on
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Nia Johnson
don't forget about the job search thing!! i almost got in trouble because i wasn't keeping track of my work search activities properly. you need to log every application, interview, job fair, etc in your weekly claim
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Diego Ramirez
•wait they actually check that stuff? i thought it was just honor system
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Nia Johnson
•oh they definitely check! they can audit your claim anytime and if you can't prove your job searches they'll make you pay everything back
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CyberNinja
26 weeks goes by faster than you think, especially in this job market. Start looking seriously now even though you just got approved. Better to find something early than scramble at week 25.
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Yuki Tanaka
Also worth mentioning that if you're getting close to exhausting your 26 weeks and still haven't found work, there might be extended benefits available during high unemployment periods. It's not automatic though - you have to apply separately and it depends on the state's unemployment rate. I'd recommend checking the NYSDOL website or calling them around week 20-22 to see if any extensions are available when you're getting close to your limit.
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