How long do you have to work for a company before you can collect unemployment benefits?

The work requirement isn't based on how long you worked for one specific company. NYS Department of Labor looks at your total work history during what's called the 'base period' - which is usually the first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters before you file your claim. You need to have worked in at least 2 quarters and earned a minimum amount. Since you worked for 2 years at your previous job plus 3 months at the current one, you should definitely meet the work requirements.

wait so its not like you have to work somewhere for a full year first?? i thought there was some kind of minimum time requirement

I was in a similar situation last year - worked 4 months at a startup before they went under. I was worried I wouldn't qualify but turns out my previous job history covered me. The NYS Department of Labor website has a benefits calculator where you can check if you meet the wage requirements. You just need your wage statements from the past 18 months or so.

The system is so confusing though! I tried calling NYS Department of Labor last month to ask about my base period and could never get through. Kept getting hung up on after waiting for like an hour. Is there any way to actually talk to someone there?

Just remember that even if you qualify for benefits, you still have to meet all the other requirements - like being able and available for work, doing your job search activities, and filing your weekly claims on time. And if you get fired for misconduct instead of laid off, that could disqualify you regardless of how long you worked.

Thanks everyone for the helpful info! I had no idea it was based on quarters instead of time at one specific job. @Lia Quinn that benefits calculator sounds perfect - I'll definitely check that out before my review next week. It's such a relief to know that my previous job history should cover me if the worst happens. The whole unemployment system seemed so mysterious before but you've all made it much clearer!

This is such valuable information! I've been working in NY for about 8 years but never really understood how unemployment eligibility worked until reading this thread. The quarter-based system is actually pretty fair - it protects people who might work seasonal jobs or have gaps between positions. @Maggie Martinez I hope your review goes well next week, but it sounds like you're covered either way. For anyone else reading this, I'd also recommend keeping good records of all your pay stubs and W-2s from the past couple years - makes the whole process smoother if you ever need to file a claim.

This thread has been incredibly informative! I'm currently 7 months into my first job out of college and honestly had no clue how unemployment benefits worked. I always assumed you needed to work somewhere for at least a year to qualify, so learning about the quarter-based system is eye-opening. It's actually pretty smart that they look at your overall work history rather than just your current job - makes the system more flexible for people in different employment situations. @Maggie Martinez hoping your review goes smoothly, but at least now you know you have that safety net if needed!

As someone who's been through the unemployment process in NY, I can confirm what others have said about the quarter-based system. One thing I'd add is that if you're concerned about meeting the wage requirements, NYS DOL also has an alternative base period option if you don't qualify under the standard one. They'll look at the most recent 4 quarters instead of the first 4 of the last 5. This helped a friend of mine who had a similar situation with job transitions. The key thing is don't assume you won't qualify - the system is more flexible than most people think. Good luck with your review @Maggie Martinez!

This whole thread has been such an eye-opener! I'm relatively new to the NY job market (moved here about a year ago) and had completely wrong assumptions about how unemployment works. I thought you needed to be at a job for at least 6-12 months to qualify, so learning about the quarter-based system is huge for me. It's actually really smart that they look at your cumulative work history rather than just your current position - makes so much more sense for people who might be freelancing, doing contract work, or just transitioning between jobs. @Maggie Martinez I really hope your quarterly review goes well, but it's great that you now know you have options if things don't work out. For anyone else reading this who's newer to NY like me, definitely bookmark that benefits calculator that @Lia Quinn mentioned - sounds like a great way to check where you stand without having to navigate the phone system!

Wow, I had no idea the unemployment system worked this way! I've been working in NY for about 18 months across two different jobs and always worried that if I lost my current position (been there 8 months), I wouldn't qualify because I hadn't been there "long enough." Learning that it's based on quarters and total earnings rather than tenure at one specific company is such a relief. This thread has been incredibly educational - the way everyone explained it is so much clearer than anything I've read on the official websites. @Maggie Martinez fingers crossed your review goes well, but it sounds like you're definitely covered if anything happens. I'm definitely going to check out that benefits calculator to see where I stand. Thanks to everyone for sharing their knowledge and experiences!

This has been such an educational thread! I'm about 6 months into my current job and honestly had no clue how unemployment eligibility worked. Like so many others here, I assumed you needed to work at one place for a minimum amount of time - maybe a year or so - before you could qualify for benefits. Learning that NY looks at your total earnings across quarters instead of job tenure is really reassuring. It makes the system seem much more realistic for how people actually work these days. @Maggie Martinez I hope everything works out with your review, but it's great that you got such helpful info here! I'm definitely going to check out that benefits calculator that @Lia Quinn mentioned - seems like a smart way to know where you stand. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences and knowledge!

I'm about 3 months into my first "real" job after college and this thread has been incredibly helpful! I had absolutely zero knowledge about how unemployment benefits work and honestly just assumed it was some complicated system that required you to work at one place for years before qualifying. Learning about the quarter-based approach makes so much more sense - especially for people like me who might have had internships, part-time work, or gaps while job searching. It's really reassuring to know that NY actually designed their system around realistic work patterns rather than outdated expectations. @Maggie Martinez I really hope your quarterly review goes smoothly, but it's great that you got such solid advice here! I'm definitely going to look into that benefits calculator to understand my own situation better. This community is amazing for explaining government processes in a way that actually makes sense to regular people!