How soon can you reapply for unemployment benefits with NYS Department of Labor?
My unemployment claim ended last month and I'm still looking for work. I know there are rules about when you can file again but I can't find clear information on the NYS Department of Labor website. Does anyone know how long you have to wait before you can reapply for unemployment? I'm worried about the gap in benefits while I'm still job searching.
12 comments


Laura Lopez
You can typically file a new claim right after your benefit year ends if you have enough qualifying wages in your new base period. The NYS Department of Labor uses a 52-week benefit year, so once that's over, you're eligible to start a fresh claim if you've worked enough quarters and earned sufficient wages since your last claim started.
0 coins
Gabriel Freeman
•Thanks! Do you know what the minimum earnings requirement is for a new claim? I worked part-time for about 8 months after my original claim.
0 coins
Victoria Brown
I was in the exact same situation last year. Had to wait until my benefit year expired then immediately filed online. The key thing is making sure you earned enough in covered employment during your new base period - I think it's around $2,600 total with at least $1,600 in your highest quarter, but double check the current amounts on the NYS Department of Labor site.
0 coins
Samuel Robinson
•Those wage requirements sound about right. Also make sure you're not still collecting any remaining benefits from your old claim when you file the new one.
0 coins
Camila Castillo
Wait I'm confused - I thought there was like a waiting period between claims? My cousin said she had to wait 6 months or something before reapplying
0 coins
Laura Lopez
•No waiting period between benefit years in NY. Your cousin might be thinking of a different situation like if she was disqualified for misconduct or voluntarily quit without good cause - those can have waiting periods.
0 coins
Brianna Muhammad
The whole reapplication process is such a pain. I tried calling NYS Department of Labor to ask about this exact thing and spent literally 3 hours on hold before giving up. If you need to talk to someone about your specific situation, I found this service called Claimyr that helps you get through to actual agents. Check out claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Saved me so much frustration trying to reach someone at the unemployment office.
0 coins
JaylinCharles
•Interesting, never heard of that before. Did they actually help you get through or is it just another scam thing?
0 coins
Brianna Muhammad
•No it's legit - they basically navigate the phone system for you and get you connected to a real person. Way better than sitting on hold for hours.
0 coins
Eloise Kendrick
just file online as soon as your year is up, the system will tell you if you qualify or not
0 coins
Daniel White
Gabriel, I went through this exact same thing a few months ago. You don't have to wait at all - you can file a new claim immediately after your benefit year ends. The tricky part is making sure you have enough qualifying wages during your new base period (which is different from your original base period). Since you mentioned working part-time for 8 months, you'll want to add up all your earnings during that time. If you earned at least $2,600 total with $1,600 in your highest earning quarter, you should be good to go. The NYS DOL website has a wage calculator tool that can help you figure out if you meet the requirements before you apply.
0 coins
LilMama23
•That wage calculator tool sounds really helpful! I've been trying to figure out if my part-time earnings would qualify me for a new claim. Do you happen to remember where exactly on the NYS DOL website that calculator is located? I've been having trouble navigating their site to find the right tools.
0 coins