How long do you have to be at your job to collect unemployment benefits from NYS Department of Labor?
I started working at a retail chain about 4 months ago and they just told us they're closing our location next month. I'm worried I haven't been there long enough to qualify for unemployment benefits. Does anyone know what the minimum work requirement is for NYS Department of Labor? I worked part-time before this job but only for like 2 months at a different place. Will those wages count toward my eligibility?
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Cameron Black
You need to look at your base period wages, not just how long you've been at one job. NYS Department of Labor uses your highest quarter of earnings in your base period to determine your weekly benefit rate. The base period is typically the first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters before you file. So if you file in January 2025, your base period would be October 2023 through September 2024. You need at least $2,700 in your base period and at least $1,800 in your high quarter.
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Victoria Jones
•Thanks! So my previous part-time job wages would count too? That's a relief. I think I should have enough between both jobs.
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Jessica Nguyen
yeah the base period thing is confusing but basically all your jobs count if they were in that timeframe, not just your current one
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Isaiah Thompson
Just to clarify - you also need to have worked in at least 2 quarters during your base period. So having wages spread across different quarters helps with eligibility. When you file your claim, the NYS Department of Labor system will automatically calculate if you meet the monetary requirements based on your wage records from all employers who reported your earnings.
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Ruby Garcia
•What if you can't get through to NYS Department of Labor to check your wage records? I've been trying to call for days and keep getting disconnected.
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Alexander Evans
•I had the same problem with calling NYS Department of Labor. Tried for weeks to get through about my base period wages. Finally used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that actually got me connected to an agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. The agent was able to look up my wage history immediately and confirm my eligibility.
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Evelyn Martinez
Don't stress too much about it. When you apply online through my.ny.gov, the system will tell you right away if you meet the monetary requirements. It pulls from all your reported wages automatically. Just make sure you have your Social Security number and employment history ready when you file.
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