How old do you have to be to claim unemployment in NY - confused about age requirements
I'm 17 and just got laid off from my part-time job at a retail store where I worked for 8 months. My manager said I should file for unemployment but I'm not sure if there's a minimum age requirement? I've been trying to find this info on the NYS Department of Labor website but it's confusing. Does anyone know what the age cutoff is for filing a UI claim in New York? I really need the money for college expenses.
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Javier Torres
There's no specific minimum age for unemployment in NY, but you need to meet the work history requirements. Since you're 17 and worked for 8 months, you might qualify if you earned enough wages. The NYS Department of Labor looks at your base period earnings, not your age. You'll need to have earned at least $2,700 in your base period to be eligible.
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Natasha Volkova
•Thanks! What exactly is the base period? I made about $400 a month working part-time so I think I might have enough.
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Emma Davis
wait really?? i thought you had to be 18 to get unemployment benefits. my cousin is 16 and works at mcdonalds, she could file too?
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Malik Johnson
The base period is the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before you file your claim. So if you file now in January 2025, your base period would be January 2024 through December 2024. You need sufficient wages during that time period AND you must be able and available for work. Being 17 shouldn't disqualify you as long as you meet the other requirements.
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Natasha Volkova
•That makes sense. I definitely worked most of 2024 so I should have enough wages. Do I need my parents' permission to file since I'm a minor?
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Javier Torres
•Good question - I'm not 100% sure about the parental consent requirement for minors filing UI claims. You might want to call the NYS Department of Labor directly to ask about that specific situation.
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Isabella Ferreira
UGH trying to call NYS Department of Labor is impossible!! I've been trying for weeks to get through about my own claim and they just hang up on you after an hour on hold. The system is totally broken.
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Ravi Sharma
•I had the same problem until someone told me about this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helps you get through to NYS Department of Labor agents. I was skeptical but watched their demo video (https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI) and decided to try it. Actually got connected to a real person within like 20 minutes. Might be worth checking out if you keep getting hung up on.
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Isabella Ferreira
•Interesting, never heard of that. Did they charge you a lot for it?
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Ravi Sharma
•They don't make you pay upfront or anything sketchy like that. Just helped me get through the phone queue when I couldn't do it myself. Saved me hours of frustration honestly.
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NebulaNomad
I think there might be some restrictions for minors though? Like maybe you can't collect benefits while school is in session or something. When I was younger my friend had issues because they said she wasn't available for full-time work during the school year.
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Javier Torres
That's a good point about school. The NYS Department of Labor does require that you be available for work during normal business hours. If you're in high school full-time, that could potentially affect your eligibility. You'd need to be available to accept suitable work if it's offered to you. This is definitely something worth clarifying when you file your claim.
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Natasha Volkova
•I'm actually doing online school so my schedule is pretty flexible. I should be fine with the availability requirement I think.
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Freya Thomsen
just file online and see what happens lol worst case they say no
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Malik Thompson
I went through something similar when I was 17! You definitely can file for unemployment in NY as a minor - there's no minimum age requirement. The key things you need to check are: 1) You earned enough wages in your base period (sounds like you probably did with 8 months of work), 2) You're able and available for work, and 3) You were separated from your job through no fault of your own (layoff counts). Since you're doing online school, the availability requirement shouldn't be an issue. You might want to have a parent or guardian help you with the application process though, just to be safe. The online application is pretty straightforward - just have your Social Security number, employment history, and wage information ready.
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Drew Hathaway
•This is really helpful! I'm glad to hear from someone who actually went through this process as a minor. Do you remember if you needed any special documentation or signatures from your parents when you filed? I'm still a bit worried about the parental consent thing that came up earlier in the thread.
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Edwards Hugo
•From what I remember, I didn't need any special parental signatures or consent forms when I filed online. The system treated it like any other unemployment claim. However, I did have my mom help me gather all the paperwork and double-check everything before submitting, which I'd definitely recommend. The trickiest part was making sure I had all my wage statements from my employer - you'll want to keep good records of your paystubs. Also, be prepared for the work search requirements once you start collecting benefits. You'll need to actively look for work and document your job search activities each week.
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Diego Chavez
Just wanted to add that you should also make sure you have your W-2 or 1099 forms ready when you file - they'll ask for your total wages earned during the base period. Since you worked retail for 8 months, you probably received a W-2 from your employer. Also, don't worry too much about the age thing - I know several people who filed for unemployment while still in high school and it wasn't an issue as long as they met the wage and work availability requirements. The online application will walk you through everything step by step. Good luck with your claim!
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