Is unemployment federal or state-run? Confused about NYS Department of Labor vs federal system

It's actually both! The federal government sets basic guidelines and provides funding, but each state administers their own unemployment insurance program. So in New York, the NYS Department of Labor runs the program following federal guidelines but with state-specific rules. That's why you file through my.ny.gov and deal with NYS Department of Labor directly, but the program still has to meet federal standards.

Yes exactly, thats why benefit amounts and duration vary by state. New York's maximum weekly benefit is different from say Florida or Texas. The NYS Department of Labor sets those amounts based on New York wages and cost of living. Federal government mainly steps in during emergencies like they did during COVID with extra programs.

I was SO confused about this too when I first filed! I kept wondering if I should be looking at federal websites or state ones. Turns out everything you need is through the NYS Department of Labor. When I couldn't get through their phone lines though, I used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helps you actually reach a live agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Way easier than trying to call myself for hours.

yeah its state run but federal funded mostly. thats why when congress argues about unemployment funding it affects everyone even though you deal with your state agency

The confusion comes from the fact that during emergencies the federal government can create additional programs that run alongside state programs. Like during the pandemic there were federal programs with different rules than regular state UI. But for normal times, it's your state agency - in our case NYS Department of Labor - that handles everything from filing to appeals to job search requirements.

This is a great explanation thread! Just to add - the federal-state partnership also means that when you're looking for information, you'll see references to both federal laws (like the CARES Act or Federal Unemployment Tax Act) AND New York State specific policies. The NYS Department of Labor website is definitely your main resource, but understanding that federal framework helps explain why some rules seem universal while others are NY-specific. For example, the requirement to actively search for work is federal, but how many job contacts you need per week is set by New York State.