How to apply for unemployment tax number through NYS Department of Labor - confused about the process
I'm trying to figure out how to apply for unemployment tax number with NYS Department of Labor but I'm getting conflicting information online. I recently started a small business and need to register for unemployment insurance taxes but the my.ny.gov website keeps redirecting me to different forms. Has anyone gone through this process recently? Do I need to apply for the tax number before I can start paying into the unemployment system? I'm worried I'm missing some deadline or requirement.
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Fidel Carson
You'll need to register for unemployment insurance through the NYS Department of Labor's employer services. The process involves getting a State Unemployment Insurance (SUI) account number. You can start the application on the my.ny.gov portal under business services. You'll need your federal EIN first, then you can apply for the state unemployment tax number. The registration should be completed within 10 days of hiring your first employee or becoming liable for unemployment taxes.
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Ana Rusula
•Thank you! Do I need to have employees already hired before I can apply, or can I register preemptively?
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Isaiah Sanders
i think you have to pay into unemployment even if you don't have employees yet, depending on your business type. check the thresholds on the nys department of labor website
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Xan Dae
Actually, the liability thresholds vary by business type. For most businesses, you become liable for unemployment insurance taxes once you pay wages of $300 or more in any calendar quarter. Agricultural businesses have different rules. The NYS Department of Labor has specific forms - you'll want Form NYS-100 for initial registration. Make sure you also register for disability insurance at the same time since they're usually processed together.
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Fiona Gallagher
•This is so confusing! I've been trying to call NYS Department of Labor for weeks but can never get through. The automated system just hangs up on me after 20 minutes of waiting.
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Thais Soares
•I had the same problem with getting through to NYS Department of Labor by phone. I actually found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me connect with an agent much faster. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Saved me hours of frustration trying to get through on my own.
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Nalani Liu
The NYS Department of Labor system is such a nightmare for small business owners. I spent three months going back and forth with different departments just to get my unemployment tax number straightened out. They kept sending me forms that didn't apply to my situation.
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Axel Bourke
•Ugh same here! Why can't they just have one simple form for this stuff?
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Josef Tearle
I went through this exact process last year and it was definitely confusing at first! Here's what worked for me: Start with the my.ny.gov portal and look for "Register a Business" under the business services section. You'll need your Federal EIN ready, then you can apply for both your State Unemployment Insurance (SUI) number and Workers' Compensation at the same time. The key is to register as soon as you think you might become liable - you don't have to wait until you actually hire someone. I found it much easier to do everything online rather than trying to call. The whole process took about 2 weeks to get my account numbers back. Don't stress too much about missing deadlines - as long as you register before you're actually liable for payments, you should be fine.
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Liam Sullivan
•This is really helpful! I'm in a similar situation and was also worried about the timing. Just to clarify - when you say "as soon as you think you might become liable," does that mean I should register now even if I'm still in the planning stages of hiring? I'm probably 2-3 months away from actually bringing on my first employee but want to get all my paperwork in order early.
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