How many months of unemployment benefits can I get from NYS Department of Labor?
I just lost my job after working for 8 years at a manufacturing company and I'm trying to figure out how long my unemployment benefits will last. I keep seeing different information online about 26 weeks vs 39 weeks and I'm getting confused. Does anyone know exactly how many months of unemployment you can get in New York? My friend said it depends on your work history but I'm not sure what that means. I really need to plan my budget and job search timeline.
11 comments
Join the conversation
Amara Nnamani
In New York, regular unemployment insurance (UI) provides up to 26 weeks of benefits, which is about 6 months. The exact number of weeks you qualify for depends on your base period earnings - basically how much you earned in the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before you filed. If you worked steadily for 8 years like you mentioned, you'll likely qualify for the full 26 weeks.
0 coins
Liam Fitzgerald
•Thanks! So there's no way to get more than 26 weeks? I thought I heard about extended benefits during certain times.
0 coins
Giovanni Mancini
The 26 weeks is for regular state unemployment. Extended benefits can kick in during periods of high unemployment in the state, but that's not automatic and depends on economic conditions. Right now in 2025, we're just on the standard 26-week program. Make sure you're filing your weekly claims on time and meeting the job search requirements to keep getting payments.
0 coins
NebulaNinja
•What are the job search requirements exactly? I just filed my first claim last week.
0 coins
Giovanni Mancini
•You need to make at least 3 job contacts per week and keep a log of your search activities. The NYS Department of Labor can ask to see this log at any time, so make sure you're documenting everything properly.
0 coins
Fatima Al-Suwaidi
ugh the whole system is so confusing!! i've been trying to call NYS Department of Labor for 2 weeks about my claim status and can never get through. the automated system just hangs up on me after being on hold forever. how is anyone supposed to get answers about their benefits??
0 coins
Dylan Mitchell
•I had the same problem getting through to NYS Department of Labor agents until someone told me about Claimyr. It's a service that helps you actually reach someone at the unemployment office by phone. They have this video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. I used it when my claim got stuck in adjudication and finally got to talk to a real person who resolved my issue in like 10 minutes. Check out claimyr.com if you're tired of getting hung up on.
0 coins
Sofia Morales
Just want to add that even though you get 26 weeks maximum, that doesn't mean you have to use them all consecutively. If you find a job after 10 weeks and then lose it again later in the same benefit year, you can still claim the remaining 16 weeks. Also make sure you're certifying every week even if you do some part-time work - you might still qualify for partial benefits.
0 coins
Dmitry Popov
6 months sounds about right. I got laid off from my restaurant job last year and got the full 26 weeks. definitely helped while I was looking for something new. just don't slack on the job search stuff because they do check sometimes
0 coins
Kendrick Webb
Just to clarify something that might help with your budgeting - the 26 weeks (6 months) is the maximum, but your actual benefit amount depends on your highest quarter earnings during your base period. Since you worked 8 years steadily, you should qualify for the full duration. The weekly benefit ranges from $104 to $504 depending on your previous wages. You can get a rough estimate of your weekly amount by dividing your highest quarter earnings by 26. Also, remember that unemployment benefits are taxable income, so you might want to have taxes withheld or set aside money for tax season.
0 coins
Drew Hathaway
•This is really helpful info about the benefit calculation! @5aa7608a940f Since you mentioned working 8 years at a manufacturing job, you're probably looking at getting close to the maximum weekly amount. One thing to keep in mind is that your base period might not include your most recent earnings - it's usually the first 4 of the last 5 completed quarters before you filed. So if you just filed, your most recent few months of wages might not count toward your benefit calculation. The good news is manufacturing jobs typically pay well enough that you should still qualify for a decent weekly benefit amount.
0 coins