How many weeks for unemployment benefits in NY - confused about duration

In New York, the standard unemployment insurance duration is 26 weeks (6 months) of benefits. This is the baseline that most people qualify for when they file their initial claim. However, your actual benefit duration depends on your work history and how much you earned in your base period. The NYS Department of Labor calculates this based on your earnings from the four quarters before you filed your claim.

Standard unemployment benefits in New York are 26 weeks. This is your base period of regular UI benefits. The amount depends on your earnings history but the duration is standardized at 26 weeks unless there are special circumstances or federal extensions in place.

You have to file weekly claims every week to continue receiving benefits. Miss a week and you could lose that week's payment. Also make sure you're meeting the job search requirements - you need to make at least 3 job contacts per week and keep a log. The NYS Department of Labor can audit this anytime.

Just went through this myself. You get 26 weeks but you have to file your weekly claims every week and do the job search requirements. Don't skip any weeks or you'll lose those benefits permanently. Also make sure you're logging all your job applications because they can audit your job search log anytime.

I've been trying to get through to someone at NYS Department of Labor for weeks about this exact question but their phone lines are always busy. It's so frustrating when you just need a simple answer about your claim duration.

26 weeks is correct but honestly the system is so confusing they should just tell you upfront instead of making you hunt for this basic information

wait i thought it was only 20 weeks now?? i heard they changed it

Just to add - your benefit year lasts 52 weeks from when you first filed, but you can only collect up to 26 weeks of those unless there are federal extensions. After your 26 weeks are up, you'd need to requalify if you're still unemployed.

The 26 weeks is standard but there can be extensions during high unemployment periods. Right now there aren't any federal extensions available like there were during COVID. If you're having trouble getting through to NYS Department of Labor to check your claim status or ask questions, I actually found this service called Claimyr that helped me reach an agent. They have a website at claimyr.com and there's a demo video at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Saved me hours of calling and getting busy signals.

26 weeks goes by FAST when you're looking for work. I used up all mine last year and had to rely on family help after that. Make sure you're really aggressive about job searching from day one, don't wait thinking you have plenty of time.

The restaurant industry is rough right now but there are jobs out there. Focus on your weekly claims and job search requirements and you should be fine for the 26 weeks. Just stay on top of everything with NYS Department of Labor.

Hey Victoria, sorry to hear about your layoff! The 26 weeks is correct for NY unemployment benefits. Since you worked full-time for 2 years at your restaurant job, you should definitely qualify for the full duration. Just make sure to file your weekly certifications on time every week - you can usually do this online through the NY.gov website. Also keep track of your job search activities (3 per week minimum) because they do audit those records. The restaurant industry has been picking up lately, so hopefully you'll find something before your benefits run out. Good luck!