How to apply for additional unemployment benefits through NYS Department of Labor?
I've been collecting regular unemployment for about 18 weeks now and I'm worried I'm getting close to running out. My benefit year started in March 2024 and I think I only have a few weeks left on my claim. I keep hearing people talk about extensions or additional benefits but I have no idea how to apply for them through NYS Department of Labor. Do I need to file a new application or is there something else I'm supposed to do? Really stressed about this because I still haven't found steady work and can't afford to lose this income. Has anyone been through this process recently?
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Christian Burns
You'll need to check your benefit year end date first. If your benefit year is ending, you might be eligible for a new claim if you've worked enough in the past year. Log into your my.ny.gov account and look at your claim summary - it should show your benefit year dates and remaining weeks. If you're just running out of weeks but your benefit year hasn't ended, unfortunately NY doesn't have automatic extensions right now like during the pandemic.
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Jenna Sloan
•Thanks, I checked and my benefit year ends in March 2025 so I still have time on that. But I only have 3 weeks left of benefits showing. So there's really no way to get more weeks?
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Sasha Reese
The regular UI program in NY is 26 weeks maximum unless there are special federal extensions in place. Right now there aren't any. Your only option might be to see if you qualify for a new claim if you've worked since filing your current one. You'd need enough earnings in your new base period to establish a new claim.
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Muhammad Hobbs
•This is so frustrating! I worked a temp job for like 6 weeks last summer but probably not enough to qualify for a whole new claim. The job market is still terrible.
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Noland Curtis
I was in a similar situation last year and couldn't get through to anyone at NYS Department of Labor to ask about my options. The phone lines are always busy and the online messaging system takes forever to get responses. I ended up using a service called Claimyr that actually got me connected to a real person at the department. Check out claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that explains how it works. Really helped me understand my situation better when I could actually talk to someone.
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Diez Ellis
•Never heard of that before but honestly anything is better than sitting on hold for hours. Did they charge you a lot for it?
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Noland Curtis
•They focus on the value of actually reaching someone rather than the cost. For me it was worth it just to get real answers about my claim status instead of guessing.
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Vanessa Figueroa
ugh the whole system is such a mess. i ran out of benefits last month and there's literally nothing you can do. they used to have extended benefits during recessions but not anymore. guess we're all just supposed to magically find jobs that don't exist
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Abby Marshall
•I feel you on this. It's like they expect everyone to find work immediately when there's still not enough good jobs out there.
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Christian Burns
Just to be clear - if you do have enough work history for a new claim, you'd file a new application entirely. But be aware that if your new weekly benefit amount would be lower than your current one, you might want to exhaust your current claim first. Also make sure you're keeping up with your job search requirements - 3 contacts per week minimum.
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Elliott luviBorBatman
I'm in almost the exact same situation! My benefit year started in February 2024 and I'm down to my last 2 weeks of benefits. The stress is real - I've been applying everywhere but nothing's panning out. From what I'm reading here, it sounds like our only shot is if we worked enough since filing to qualify for a new claim. I did some part-time work over the summer but probably not enough quarters to meet the earnings requirement. Has anyone actually calculated what you need to earn to qualify for a new claim? I'm trying to figure out if it's even worth applying or if I should just prepare for benefits to end.
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Sara Unger
•I'm in a similar boat - it's scary when you can see the end coming! From what I understand, you generally need to have earned at least 10 times your weekly benefit amount during your base period to qualify for a new claim. So if you were getting $300/week, you'd need $3,000 in covered earnings. But the base period calculation is tricky - it's usually the first 4 of the last 5 completed quarters before you file. I'd suggest calling or using that Claimyr service someone mentioned to get a real answer about whether your summer work would count. At least then you'd know for sure instead of wondering!
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Thais Soares
I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but NY really doesn't have any additional benefits available right now beyond the standard 26 weeks. The federal extensions that were available during the pandemic (like PEUC and Extended Benefits) have all expired. Your best bet is to check if you qualify for a new claim based on any work you've done since filing your current claim. You can use the benefit calculator on the NY DOL website to estimate if you have enough earnings. Also, make sure you're documenting all your job search activities - if you do run out of benefits, having that record could be helpful if any new programs become available. It's a tough situation and I feel for everyone going through this.
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Melody Miles
•This is really helpful information, thank you! I didn't realize there was a benefit calculator on the NY DOL website - I'm going to check that out right now. I've been keeping detailed records of all my job applications thankfully, so at least I have that covered. It's just so disheartening to know there aren't any safety nets like there were during the pandemic. I guess I need to start preparing for the reality that benefits might just end and figure out other options. Has anyone had luck with local assistance programs or food banks to help bridge the gap if unemployment runs out?
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