NY unemployment denied after reapplying - apparently didn't earn enough in my base quarters?

The exact same thing happened to me last week! They said I didn't have 'sufficient wages' in my base period even though I've been working the same job for 2 years before getting laid off. Its complete nonsense. I finally found a way to get through on the phone using claimyr.com - it got me a callback from an actual person in about 45 minutes. Talking to that agent got my account fixed and my payments started going through again within 48 hours. Best decision I made after weeks of frustration. Check out their explainer video: https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE

The base period thing is super confusing. The reason you got denied is because they look at earnings from 5-17 months before you apply, NOT your most recent work. So if you reapplied recently, they're looking at earning periods from last year, not the last few months. It's a stupid system but that's how NY unemployment calculates eligibility.

There's actually two ways they calculate the base period - the standard base period (last 5-17 months) or the alternate base period (last 4-16 months). Make sure they're using the right one for your situation! You need to ask them specifically to check both calculations.

The $5,000 thing is about the earnings requirement. You need to have earned at least 1.5x the highest quarter wages during your base period, with a minimum of $2,400 in at least two quarters. AND you have to have some work in two different calendar quarters. It's SUPER confusing. I've been dealing with this exact issue for weeks now.

After calling 127 times (yes I counted), I learned that you can actually request a reconsideration if you think they calculated your wages wrong. There's a form on the ny unemployment website, but good luck finding it. You have to navigate to Benefits > Unemployment Insurance > Claimant Forms > Request for Reconsideration. It's buried on purpose IMO.

NY Unemployment has literally THE WORST base period system of any state. I moved here from Nevada and it was WAY simpler there. Here they make you jump through hoops and then don't even tell you why you're denied half the time. You NEED to talk to a human to get this fixed.

Alright, here's what you need to do to fix this mess: First, understand why you were denied. Base period calculations look at your wages from 5-17 months before application, not recent work. That's why reapplying might have hurt you. Second, you absolutely MUST speak with a claims specialist (not just any agent) to review your case. Regular agents often can't fix these specific issues. Third, prepare your evidence before calling. Have paystubs, W2s, or anything showing your work history for the past 18 months ready. Fourth, since calling repeatedly is nearly impossible, use a service like claimyr.com to get connected with a live agent. This has been a game-changer for many of us here trying to navigate this broken system. Fifth, once connected, specifically request they review both standard and alternate base period calculations, and ask if you qualify for an extended base period (which exists in some cases). Sixth, if they still say you don't qualify, ask about filing a Request for Reconsideration AND appeal options simultaneously. Don't just do one. Last, document EVERYTHING - get the agent's name, ID number, case reference numbers, and exactly what they tell you. This system thrives on confusion and poor documentation. Good luck - the NY unemployment system is designed to be frustrating, but persistence pays off!

This happened to me! I was on unemployment, it expired, I reapplied, and got denied for "insufficient wages" even though nothing had changed. Turns out they were looking at different quarters than my original application. Such BS.

The $5000 thing sounds like the total base period minimum. You need to have earned enough in your base period quarters to qualify. The system is designed to disqualify as many people as possible I swear 😡

Pro tip - don't just call the main unemployment number. There's a separate appeals division number: (518) 402-0089. Sometimes you can get through there faster and they can actually help with base period issues.

honestly ny unemployment is such a joke. they literally design the system to be as complicated as possible so people give up. i've been dealing with them for 6 months and every time i call i get a different answer lolol 🤡

if your benefit year expired, you always have to requalify. its not automatic. you need to have worked and earned enough in the base period of your NEW claim. its stupid but thats the rules they use.

Okay so heres what worked for me when I had the exact same issue a few weeks back. I used claimyr.com to finally get someone on the phone, and the agent told me they were using the wrong base period. Once they fixed that, my benefits got reapproved within days. Talking to an actual human was the only thing that solved it after weeks of getting nowhere with the website.

Try calling exactly at 8:00:00 AM when they open. I mean literally time it to the second. That's how I finally got through after weeks of trying. Otherwise the queue fills up instantly.

nobody seems to be mentioning that there might be a different issue here - sometimes people get cut off because of identity verification problems, not base period problems. Make sure when you talk to someone you ask if there are ANY holds on your account, not just wage issues.

another day, another bureaucratic nightmare with ny unemployment 😂 I feel for you - been there, done that, got the rejection letter. Keep fighting!