How to get unemployment number for business - NYS Department of Labor requirements?

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.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

For a small construction company, I'd recommend QuickBooks Payroll or Paychex Flex - both handle NYS requirements well and can automatically generate the reports you'll need for unemployment insurance filings. QuickBooks integrates nicely if you're already using their accounting software. Just make sure whatever system you choose can track prevailing wage rates if you plan to do any public works projects in NYC - that's a whole other compliance requirement for construction companies. The key is picking something that can grow with your business and handle both regular payroll and the specific reporting NYS Department of Labor requires.