How long can you apply for unemployment benefits in New York?
I've been working part-time retail for about 8 months but my hours just got cut way back due to slow business. I'm thinking about filing for unemployment but I'm not sure if there's a deadline or time limit for when you can apply after your hours get reduced? I know I should have probably applied sooner but honestly didn't know I could get benefits for reduced hours. Can I still file now or is it too late? Also wondering how long the actual benefits last once you start getting them.
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Kristin Frank
You can apply for unemployment benefits in New York as long as you meet the eligibility requirements, regardless of when your hours were reduced. There's no specific deadline for filing after a job loss or hour reduction. However, you should file as soon as possible because benefits are not retroactive - you can only get paid from the week you file your claim forward. In New York, regular unemployment benefits last up to 26 weeks, but this can vary based on economic conditions.
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Jabari-Jo
•That's a relief! So even though it's been a few weeks since my hours got cut, I can still file and start getting benefits from this week going forward?
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Micah Trail
Just to add to what was said above - when you file your initial claim with NYS Department of Labor, you'll need to provide information about your work history for the past 18 months. The amount of your weekly benefit and how long you can collect depends on how much you earned during your 'base period' which is usually the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before you file. If you haven't earned enough wages during that time, you might not qualify for benefits.
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Nia Watson
•This is important info. I made the mistake of not reporting some of my wages correctly when I first applied and it delayed my claim for weeks.
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Alberto Souchard
Ugh the NYS Department of Labor system is so confusing! I tried calling them multiple times to ask about deadlines and could never get through. The website has so much information but it's hard to find clear answers to simple questions like this.
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Katherine Shultz
•I had the same problem trying to reach someone at NYS Department of Labor by phone. I actually 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. It was super helpful when I needed to clarify my claim status and couldn't get anyone on the phone the regular way.
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Alberto Souchard
•Thanks! I'll definitely check that out. Anything is better than being on hold for 3 hours just to get disconnected.
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Marcus Marsh
wait so there's really no time limit at all? i thought i heard somewhere you had to apply within like 30 days or something
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Kristin Frank
•No, there's no 30-day deadline for filing an unemployment claim in New York. You might be thinking of the deadline for appealing a determination if your claim gets denied - that is 30 days. But for the initial application, you can file anytime as long as you're still unemployed or underemployed and meet the other eligibility requirements.
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Hailey O'Leary
One thing to keep in mind is that even though you can apply anytime, the longer you wait the more potential benefits you're losing. Like if your hours got cut 6 weeks ago and you would have qualified for $200/week, you've already missed out on $1,200 in benefits that you can never get back.
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Yara Khoury
@Jabari-Jo definitely file as soon as you can! I was in a similar situation last year - working retail and had my hours cut from 35 to about 15 per week. I waited almost a month before applying because I didn't realize reduced hours could qualify you for partial unemployment benefits. The application process itself was pretty straightforward online, just make sure you have your employer info and pay stubs ready. Even with reduced hours you might still qualify for partial benefits to help make up some of the lost income. The sooner you file, the sooner you can start getting some financial relief while you look for more hours or another job.
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Emma Davis
•@Yara-Khoury This is really helpful to hear from someone who went through the same thing! I didn't realize you could get partial benefits when your hours are just reduced rather than completely losing your job. That makes me feel better about applying now. Do you remember roughly how much you were able to get in partial benefits? I'm trying to figure out if it will actually help cover my bills or if I should focus more on finding additional work instead.
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