How many weeks of unemployment benefits can you get in New York - NYS Department of Labor duration limits?
I just got laid off from my construction job and I'm trying to figure out how long my unemployment benefits will last. I've heard different things from coworkers - some say 26 weeks, others say it depends on how long you worked. Does anyone know the actual rules for how many weeks of unemployment you can get through NYS Department of Labor? My supervisor said something about extended benefits but I'm not sure if those are still available. I want to plan my finances properly while I'm job searching.
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Amara Eze
In New York, you can receive up to 26 weeks of regular unemployment insurance benefits. This is the standard duration for most claimants. The amount you receive each week depends on your earnings history, but the total duration is 26 weeks regardless of how much you earned. Extended benefits are only available during periods of high unemployment in the state, which we're not currently in as of 2025.
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Liam McGuire
•Thanks! So it's definitely 26 weeks max right now? I was worried it might be less since I only worked at this job for about 8 months.
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Giovanni Greco
yeah 26 weeks is right but you have to keep filing your weekly claims every week and do the job search requirements or they'll cut you off early
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Fatima Al-Farsi
•What are the job search requirements exactly? I heard you have to apply to 3 jobs per week but I'm not sure if that's accurate.
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Dylan Wright
The 26 weeks starts from when your claim is approved, not from when you file. So if there are any adjudication delays, that doesn't eat into your benefit weeks. You need to maintain a job search log and apply to at least 3 jobs per week to stay eligible. If you have trouble reaching NYS Department of Labor by phone to ask questions about your claim, I recently used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get through to an actual agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works.
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Liam McGuire
•That's good to know about the 26 weeks not starting until approval. I'll check out that Claimyr thing if I have trouble getting through to them.
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Sofia Torres
•Wait, you have to pay for that service though right? Can't you just keep calling NYS Department of Labor for free?
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Dylan Wright
•You can try calling for free but I was getting disconnected constantly and their callback system wasn't working. Sometimes it's worth it to just get your questions answered quickly.
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GalacticGuardian
I'm on week 23 of my benefits and getting really nervous about what happens when I hit 26 weeks. Are there any other programs I can apply for after regular unemployment runs out?
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Amara Eze
•After regular UI benefits end, you might be eligible for other assistance programs through the Department of Social Services, but there's no automatic extension of unemployment benefits unless extended benefits are triggered statewide.
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Dmitry Smirnov
THE 26 WEEK LIMIT IS RIDICULOUS!!! I've been paying into this system for 15 years and they give you barely 6 months of help. Other countries give way more unemployment support than this.
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Sofia Torres
•I mean it's not supposed to be permanent income, it's just to help while you find another job...
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