How many weeks can you collect NY unemployment benefits and is an extension possible?

Right now in New York, regular unemployment benefits last for 26 weeks. That's the standard. With the economy how it is now, there aren't any federal extensions available like during covid. Those all ended. Once your 26 weeks are up, that's basically it unless NY introduces some state-specific extension, which they haven't done.

I was in the same boat back in November - laid off from fintech job. I tried calling NY unemployment so many times with questions about this and could NEVER get through! Finally used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) and got a callback from an actual agent within hours. Talking to an agent got my situation sorted so much faster. The site also has a youtube video explaining how it works: https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE - it was the only way I could talk to a live agent who answered all my timeline questions.

Standard UI is 26 weeks in NY. Unfortunately there aren't any extensions right now since all the pandemic programs ended. Your best bet is finding work before benefits run out. The 26 weeks aren't consecutive - they're the total number of weeks you can claim within your benefit year (which is 52 weeks from when you first filed).

As someone who's been thru this whole process last year, here's what you need to know: NY unemployment gives you 26 weeks MAX. Period. That's it. No extensions anymore. The govt doesn't care if you're still jobless after that - you're on your own. My advice: 1) Budget carefully - that $561 needs to stretch 2) Apply to literally everything, even jobs below your level 3) Network like crazy - LinkedIn, former colleagues, anyone 4) Consider gig work/freelancing to supplement income 5) If you have questions about your specific claim, you HAVE to talk to an agent. I used claimyr.com after wasting weeks trying to get through the regular phone line. Talking to an agent got my $ unlocked so fast. Don't wait until week 25 to make a plan. The system is designed to give you just enough time to find something else, but not enough to be comfortable.

ny unemployment is 26 weeks. thats it. no more extensions after covid. my cousin ran out in jan and they told him tough luck. System is a joke 🤡

I have a different opinion from most people here. While 26 weeks is the standard, you should consider applying for other benefits once unemployment runs out. Look into SNAP benefits (food stamps), rental assistance programs, and even some job training programs through the workforce development offices. These won't replace unemployment but can help bridge the gap.

Not sure why ppl are saying there's absolutely no extensions. Technically, there is something called the Shared Work Program where if your employer brings you back part-time, benefits can be extended. Also, if NY unemployment rate gets high enough, Extended Benefits can trigger automatically. Neither is likely available to you right now, but just saying there are theoretical possibilities in the system.

make sure your certifying correctly every week! if you miss weeks or make mistakes they can stop your benefits and then youll be in the circle of hell trying to get someone on the phone.

Sorry to hear about your layoff. One thing to know - if you work part time while on unemployment, you can actually stretch your benefits longer than 26 weeks. The system doesn't count weeks where you don't receive full benefits as a full week against your total. So a part-time job can both give you income AND extend your benefit period.

everyone here is giving you the standard answer but listen - call and TALK TO SOMEONE. The rules have weird exceptions sometimes. I thought I was done after 26 weeks but when I finally got through to someone they found I was eligible for a different type of claim because of my work history. Don't just trust random reddit advice (including mine lol). Get an official answer for YOUR specific situation.

Focus on finding work in the next 6 months, it goes by so fast. I was laid off from a tech job too and thought 'I have plenty of time' but before I knew it I was on week 24 panicking. The tech market is rough but consider adjacent roles - product, project management, implementation, customer success, etc. Cast a wider net.

Anybody mentioning extensions is giving outdated info from the pandemic. Those are ALL gone now. 26 weeks. Thats it. End of story. Sorry but thats the reality in 2023.

Okay so I'm actually going through this right now. Yes, it's 26 weeks MAX for regular NY unemployment. What they don't tell you is that if you're still unemployed after that, you're in a really weird situation - you can't apply again until your benefit year is up (52 weeks from when you first applied), AND you need to have worked and earned a certain amount since your original claim. It's a catch-22. My benefits ran out in March and I'm still job hunting.

26 weeks might seem like a lot of time now but it FLIES by. My advice is to not be too picky in your job search especially as you get closer to the end of benefits. I held out for the perfect tech job and ended up with nothing when benefits ran out. Now I'm working retail making way less than unemployment paid while still looking for a tech role. Don't be me.

Hey Freya, I'm really sorry to hear about your layoff - the tech market has been absolutely brutal lately. Just went through this myself a few months ago. Everyone here is right about the 26 weeks being the max, but I wanted to add something that helped me stretch things a bit further. If you can find ANY part-time or freelance work (even just a few hours a week), NY has a partial benefit system where you can still collect some unemployment while earning a little extra. The formula is complicated but basically if you earn less than your weekly benefit amount, you'll still get some payment and those "partial weeks" don't count as full weeks against your 26-week limit. It's not much but every little bit helps when you're dealing with NYC rent. Also seconding what others said about talking to an actual agent - I used that Claimyr service too after days of busy signals and it was worth every penny to get real answers about my specific situation. Hang in there and cast that net wide in your job search!

I'm in a similar situation - got laid off from my marketing job about a month ago and just started collecting benefits. Reading through all these comments is honestly both helpful and terrifying! The 26-week limit seems so short when you're dealing with this job market. I had no idea about the partial benefits thing that @Debra Bai mentioned - that could be a real lifesaver. I've been turning down some part-time opportunities because I thought it would mess up my unemployment, but now I'm wondering if I should reconsider. Also seeing so many people mention that Claimyr service to actually get through to an agent - might have to try that since I've been playing phone tag with the DOL for weeks. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences, even if they're a bit scary. At least we're all in this together!