How much time do you need to stay for unemployment benefits in NY?
I'm trying to understand the time requirements for getting unemployment benefits through NYS Department of Labor. My cousin told me you need to work for at least 6 months but I've also heard it's based on earnings not just time. I worked part-time for about 8 months at a retail job before getting laid off last week. Does anyone know exactly how much time you need to stay employed to qualify for UI benefits? I'm worried I might not have worked long enough.
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Javier Hernandez
It's not really about how long you worked, it's about your earnings during your base period. NYS Department of Labor looks at the first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters before you file. You need to have earned at least $2,600 in your highest quarter and total wages of at least 1.5 times your highest quarter wages. So if you made $2,600 in your best quarter, you'd need at least $3,900 total.
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Natasha Petrova
•Oh wow that's confusing. So it doesn't matter if I worked 8 months if I didn't earn enough? I was only making $15/hour part-time so maybe like 20 hours a week.
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Emma Davis
yeah i think you need like 20 weeks of work or something like that too, not just the money part
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LunarLegend
Actually there are multiple ways to qualify for unemployment in NY. The wage requirement the first person mentioned is one way, but there's also an alternative base period calculation if you don't meet the regular requirements. You can also qualify if you worked at least 20 weeks and earned an average of $260 per week. Given that you worked 8 months part-time, you might meet this second requirement even if your earnings don't hit the first threshold.
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Natasha Petrova
•That sounds more hopeful! How do I know which calculation NYS Department of Labor will use when I apply?
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LunarLegend
•They'll automatically check both when you file your claim. If you don't qualify under the regular base period, they'll check the alternative base period which uses more recent quarters. Just file online and let the system figure it out.
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Malik Jackson
I had trouble reaching anyone at NYS Department of Labor when I was trying to figure out my eligibility last year. The phone lines are always busy and the online chat barely works. I ended up using this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get through to an actual agent. They have a video showing how it works at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI. Made the whole process way less stressful than trying to call myself.
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Isabella Oliveira
•Never heard of that service before. Did they charge you a lot to help with the call?
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Malik Jackson
•They focus on getting you connected rather than the cost aspect. For me it was worth it just to get a real person on the line who could explain my specific situation instead of guessing from the website.
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Ravi Patel
The whole system is confusing on purpose if you ask me! They make it so complicated with all these different calculations and base periods. Just apply and see what happens - worst case they say no and you know for sure.
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Freya Andersen
Good luck with your claim! I was in a similar situation with part-time work and it worked out fine. The key is just making sure you have all your employment information ready when you file.
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Lena Schultz
Just wanted to add that you can also check your earnings history on the NYS Department of Labor website before applying. Log into your NY.gov account and look at your wage and tax statements - this will show you exactly what quarters and amounts they have on file for you. That way you can calculate beforehand whether you meet either the wage requirements or the 20-week/$260 average requirement. It's under "View Wage and Tax Information" in your online services account. This helped me figure out my eligibility before I even filed my claim.
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