My unemployment claim expired what do i do - NYS Department of Labor options?
So I was getting unemployment benefits for about 20 weeks and then last week when I tried to file my weekly claim it said my benefit year ended. I didn't even know there was a time limit! I'm still unemployed and looking for work but now I can't certify anymore. Does anyone know what happens when your claim expires? Can I file a new one or am I just out of luck? I really need these benefits to keep paying my rent while I'm job searching.
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Mikayla Davison
You can file a new unemployment claim if your benefit year expired. In New York, regular UI claims are valid for one year from when you first filed. If you're still unemployed and meet the work requirements, you should be able to start a new claim. You'll need to have worked and earned enough wages since your last claim started to qualify for a new benefit year.
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Max Reyes
•Thank you! Do I apply online through the same my.ny.gov portal or is there a different process for reapplying?
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Adrian Connor
Same thing happened to me in October. You file a new initial claim just like the first time through the NYS Department of Labor website. They'll look at your wages from the past 18 months to see if you qualify. If you worked at all during your previous claim period, those wages might count toward your new base period. The process took about 2 weeks for me to get approved.
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Aisha Jackson
•Did your weekly benefit amount change when you filed the new claim?
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Adrian Connor
•Yeah mine went up slightly because I had worked part time for a few months during my first claim year.
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Ryder Everingham
ugh the whole system is so confusing they should warn you when your claim is about to expire!! I almost missed filing a new one too
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Lilly Curtis
I had trouble getting through to anyone at NYS Department of Labor when my claim expired. Kept calling the main number but could never talk to a real person. Finally used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get connected to an agent who explained the whole reapplication process. They have a demo video at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Way easier than spending hours on hold.
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Max Reyes
•Never heard of that before. Did it actually work to get you through to someone?
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Lilly Curtis
•Yeah I was able to talk to an agent within like 20 minutes instead of calling all day. They answered all my questions about filing a new claim.
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Leo Simmons
Just make sure you file the new claim as soon as possible after your benefit year ends. There might be a gap in payments while they process your new application, but you don't want to wait too long. Keep doing your job search activities during this time too since you'll need to show you've been actively looking for work.
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Jackson Carter
I went through this exact same situation last month! When your benefit year expires, you definitely need to file a brand new initial claim through the NY DOL website. The key thing is making sure you have enough qualifying wages in your new base period - they'll look at your earnings from about 15 months ago up to 3 months ago. If you worked any temp jobs or part-time work during your previous claim, those wages should help you qualify. Also heads up that there's usually a one-week waiting period when you file a new claim, so plan for that gap in benefits. Good luck!
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Chloe Anderson
•Thanks for the detailed info! Just to clarify - when you say they look at earnings from 15 months ago up to 3 months ago, does that mean recent work from like 2-3 months ago won't count toward the new base period? I did some freelance work pretty recently and I'm wondering if I should wait a bit before filing the new claim so those earnings get included.
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