How to get unemployment number for business - NYS Department of Labor requirements?
I just started a small construction company in Queens and I'm trying to figure out how to get an unemployment insurance number for my business with NYS Department of Labor. I have two employees starting next week and I know I need to register but I'm completely lost on the process. Do I need to register before they start working or can I do it after? What forms do I need and where do I submit them? Any help would be appreciated!
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CyberSamurai
You need to register with NYS Department of Labor within 10 days of becoming liable for unemployment insurance. Since you're hiring employees, you'll need to file form IA 12.3 (Application for Employer Registration) and get your unemployment insurance account number. You can do this online through the NYS Department of Labor Business Services Online portal or mail the forms. Make sure you also register for state disability insurance at the same time.
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Andre Dubois
•Thanks! Do you know what information I need to have ready when I fill out the IA 12.3 form?
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Zoe Alexopoulos
I went through this last year when I started my plumbing business. You'll need your federal EIN, business address, type of business (construction in your case), estimated quarterly payroll, and the date you first became liable. The online portal is definitely easier than mailing forms. Once you're registered, you'll get your unemployment insurance account number and rate.
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Andre Dubois
•How long did it take to get your account number after submitting everything?
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Zoe Alexopoulos
•About 2-3 weeks by mail, but the online system gave me a temporary number right away that I could use for quarterly reports.
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Jamal Carter
just a heads up - make sure you understand the quarterly reporting requirements too. you'll need to file wage reports every quarter even if you don't owe any unemployment taxes that quarter
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Mei Liu
If you're having trouble getting through to NYS Department of Labor by phone to ask questions about the registration process, I recently found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helps people reach NYS Department of Labor agents directly. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Might be worth checking out if you need to speak with someone about your specific business situation.
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Andre Dubois
•That's interesting, I didn't know there were services to help with NYS Department of Labor phone calls. Have you used it yourself?
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Liam O'Donnell
Don't forget you'll also need workers compensation insurance if you have employees! That's separate from unemployment but equally important. The state can penalize you pretty heavily if you're not properly covered.
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Ava Thompson
Also make sure to keep detailed payroll records from day one! NYS Department of Labor will require quarterly wage reports that include each employee's name, social security number, and total wages paid. I learned this the hard way when I had to scramble to organize my records for my first quarterly filing. Setting up a good payroll system early will save you headaches later when you need to file your UI-3 quarterly reports.
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