How many weeks can you collect unemployment benefits in NY?
I just started my unemployment claim with NYS Department of Labor and I'm trying to plan my finances. Does anyone know exactly how many weeks of benefits you can get? I've heard different numbers from people and want to make sure I understand what to expect. My claim was approved last week and I'm filing my first weekly claim tomorrow.
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Omar Farouk
In New York, you can collect unemployment benefits for up to 26 weeks in a benefit year. That's the standard duration for regular UI benefits. Your benefit year starts the week you file your initial claim and runs for 52 weeks total. During that year, you can receive up to 26 weeks of payments as long as you continue to meet all the eligibility requirements.
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PixelPrincess
•Thanks! So if I use up all 26 weeks, I can't file again until the benefit year ends?
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Chloe Martin
Yep 26 weeks is correct. Just make sure you keep filing your weekly claims on time and do your job search activities. NYS Department of Labor requires 3 job search contacts per week and you need to log them in the system.
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Diego Fernández
•Actually I think they lowered the job search requirement recently. I'm only doing 2 contacts per week and haven't had any issues.
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Chloe Martin
•No it's still 3 contacts per week unless you're in certain programs. Check your job search requirements on the my.ny.gov portal to be sure.
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Anastasia Kuznetsov
I've been trying to get through to NYS Department of Labor for weeks to ask about my remaining weeks but their phone lines are always busy! It's so frustrating when you need answers about your claim. Has anyone found a way to actually talk to someone there?
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Sean Fitzgerald
•I had the same problem until I found claimyr.com - they help you get through to unemployment agents by phone. There's a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. I was able to speak with someone at NYS Department of Labor within 2 days to get my questions answered about my claim status.
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Anastasia Kuznetsov
•Really? That actually worked for you? I'm desperate at this point, might have to try it.
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Zara Khan
Just remember that if you go back to work and then lose your job again, you might be able to file a new claim if you've earned enough wages. But you'd need to meet the minimum earnings requirements again.
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MoonlightSonata
26 weeks goes by faster than you think! Make sure you're actively looking for work and not just going through the motions. Good luck with your claim!
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Anastasia Romanov
@PixelPrincess Just to add to what others have said - you can actually check your remaining benefit weeks anytime by logging into your my.ny.gov account. It shows your weekly benefit amount, total benefits paid so far, and how many weeks you have left in your benefit year. This way you don't have to wait on hold with DOL phone lines to get basic info about your claim status. The online portal is really helpful for tracking everything!
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Zara Shah
•That's super helpful! I didn't realize you could see all that detail in the online portal. I've just been logging in to file my weekly claims but haven't really explored the other features. Definitely going to check that out - it'll be nice to track my progress without having to call. Thanks for the tip!
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Sienna Gomez
One thing to keep in mind is that the 26 weeks is for regular unemployment benefits, but if there are any federal extensions available (like during economic downturns), you might be eligible for additional weeks beyond the standard 26. Also, make sure you understand the difference between your benefit year and your claim weeks - your benefit year lasts 52 weeks from when you first file, but you can only collect benefits for up to 26 of those weeks. If you find work and then lose it again within that same benefit year, you can potentially restart your claim as long as you haven't used up all 26 weeks yet.
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Dmitry Smirnov
•This is really helpful information about the benefit year vs claim weeks distinction! I didn't realize you could potentially restart within the same benefit year if you hadn't used all 26 weeks. That's good to know in case I find temporary work that doesn't work out. Are there any restrictions on how quickly you can restart a claim if you become unemployed again within the same benefit year?
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Fatima Al-Qasimi
•@Sienna Gomez That s'a great point about federal extensions! I was on unemployment during the pandemic and was able to get the extra weeks through PEUC Pandemic (Emergency Unemployment Compensation .)Those federal programs can really be a lifesaver when regular state benefits run out. Of course, those were special circumstances, but it s'worth keeping an eye on whether any federal extensions are available, especially if the economy takes a downturn. The regular 26 weeks is the baseline, but don t'assume that s'always the maximum you could potentially receive.
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Connor Gallagher
@PixelPrincess Just wanted to add that it's really smart you're planning your finances early! One tip I learned during my unemployment period is to set up a budget assuming you'll only get the full 26 weeks and treat any work you find before then as a bonus. Also, don't forget that your unemployment benefits are taxable income - you can choose to have taxes withheld from each payment or pay them later, but it's something to factor into your financial planning. NYS takes out 10% for federal taxes and 3.5% for state taxes if you elect withholding. Good luck with your claim!
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Ethan Taylor
•@Connor Gallagher That s'excellent advice about budgeting for the full 26 weeks and treating any early employment as a bonus! I hadn t'thought about the tax withholding aspect either - that s'definitely something I need to decide on soon. Do you remember if there were any penalties or issues if you chose not to withhold taxes during the benefit period and just paid them at tax time instead? I m'trying to maximize my weekly cash flow right now but don t'want to get hit with any surprises later.
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Charlie Yang
•@Ethan Taylor I chose not to withhold taxes during my unemployment period last year and didn t'have any penalties - you just need to make sure you set aside money for tax time or pay quarterly estimated taxes if you think you ll'owe more than $1,000. The IRS generally doesn t'penalize you for underpayment if your withholding and estimated tax payments equal at least 90% of the current year s'tax or 100% of last year s'tax whichever (is smaller .)Just keep track of how much you receive in benefits so you can report it accurately on your tax return. I found it helpful to put about 15% of each payment into a separate savings account for taxes.
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