How long will I get unemployment benefits from NYS Department of Labor?

In New York, regular unemployment benefits last up to 26 weeks maximum. Your weekly benefit amount is calculated based on your earnings in your base period (usually the first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters before you filed). The exact duration depends on how much you earned - if you didn't work much in your base period, you might get fewer weeks. You absolutely have to file weekly claims every week to continue receiving benefits, even if you haven't found work yet.

yeah you gotta do the weekly thing every single week or you dont get paid. learned that the hard way when i forgot one week and had to call NYS Department of Labor to fix it

The weekly claim certification is required every week you want to receive benefits. You'll answer questions about any work you did, money you earned, and whether you were able and available for work. Miss a week and your benefits stop - you'd need to contact NYS Department of Labor to reopen your claim. Set a reminder on your phone for the same day each week.

I was in the same situation last year trying to figure out my benefit duration. Had such a hard time getting through to anyone at NYS Department of Labor to ask questions - their phone lines are always jammed. Eventually found this service called Claimyr that helped me get connected to an actual agent who explained everything clearly. Check out claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Made dealing with the whole process so much easier.

The 26 week thing is such a joke honestly. Used to be longer in other states before they cut everything back. And don't even get me started on the job search requirements - you have to prove you're looking for work even when there aren't any decent jobs available. The whole system is designed to push people off benefits as fast as possible.