How long do you need to be at a job to get unemployment benefits from NYS Department of Labor?

It's not about how long you worked at one specific job - NYS Department of Labor looks at your total earnings during what's called the 'base period.' This is typically the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before you file your claim. You need to have earned at least $2,600 in one quarter and total earnings of at least $3,900 during the entire base period to qualify for UI benefits.

Just be careful about quitting - if you quit voluntarily without good cause, NYS Department of Labor will likely disqualify you from receiving benefits. You'd need to prove the working conditions were so bad that any reasonable person would have quit. Documentation helps a lot if you go this route.

I had this same problem trying to reach someone at NYS Department of Labor to ask about my base period earnings. Their phone system is impossible - kept getting disconnected after waiting for hours. Someone on here mentioned using Claimyr.com to get through to an actual agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Might be worth checking out if you need to speak with someone directly about your specific situation.

wait so you dont have to work somewhere for like 6 months or a year to get unemployment?? i thought there was a minimum time requirement at each job

I was in a similar situation last year - started a job in February and had to leave by June due to hostile work environment. The key thing is that NYS DOL will look at ALL your previous employment, not just your most recent job. So if you worked anywhere in the past 15-18 months and earned enough during that base period, you should qualify. Just make sure you document everything about those schedule changes - dates, times, any emails or texts about last-minute changes. That documentation could be crucial if you need to prove you had good cause for leaving.