NYS Department of Labor age requirement - how old do you have to be to get unemployment benefits?
I'm 17 and just got laid off from my part-time job at a retail store where I worked for about 8 months. My manager said I should apply for unemployment but I'm not sure if there's a minimum age requirement in New York. I was making around $15/hour working about 20 hours a week. Does anyone know how old do you have to be to get unemployment benefits from NYS Department of Labor? I really need the money to help my family with bills.
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Chloe Harris
In New York, there's no specific minimum age to collect unemployment benefits. What matters is that you meet the work and wage requirements. Since you're 17 and worked for 8 months, you should definitely apply through the NYS Department of Labor website. You'll need to have earned enough wages in your base period and be able and available for work. The fact that you were laid off (not fired for misconduct) is good for your claim.
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Omar Mahmoud
•Thanks! Do I need my parents to sign anything since I'm under 18? And what's a base period exactly?
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Chloe Harris
•No parental signature needed for UI claims. The base period is the first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters before you filed. Since you worked 8 months you should have enough wages.
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Diego Vargas
wait really? i thought you had to be 18 for everything government related
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NeonNinja
•Nope, unemployment is different because it's based on work history, not age. If you worked and paid into the system, you can collect regardless of age as long as you meet the other requirements.
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Anastasia Popov
I had the same question when my 16 year old nephew got laid off last year. He was able to collect unemployment for several weeks. The NYS Department of Labor doesn't discriminate based on age - it's all about whether you earned enough wages and meet the work requirements. Just make sure you file your weekly claims on time and keep looking for work.
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Omar Mahmoud
•That's really helpful to know! Did he have any problems with the application process being underage?
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Anastasia Popov
•No issues at all. He just needed his Social Security number and employment history like anyone else.
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Sean Murphy
If you're having trouble getting through to NYS Department of Labor to ask questions about your specific situation, I recently used a service called Claimyr that helped me reach an actual agent. You can check it out at claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. It was really helpful when I needed to get clarification on my claim status and couldn't get through the regular phone lines.
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Zara Khan
•How much does something like that cost? Seems like you shouldn't have to pay extra just to talk to the people who owe you money lol
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Sean Murphy
•I thought the same thing at first, but honestly the time it saved me was worth it. The regular phone system is impossible to get through, especially for younger people who might not know all the tricks.
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Luca Ferrari
Just apply online through my.ny.gov and see what happens. Worst they can say is no but if you worked and got laid off you probably qualify. The whole system is set up to help people who lost jobs through no fault of their own.
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Nathan Kim
I'm 19 and went through this exact situation last year when I got laid off from my restaurant job. Can confirm there's no age requirement - I was able to collect unemployment benefits just fine. The key thing is making sure you have enough work history and wages in your base period. Since you worked 8 months at $15/hour for 20 hours a week, you should definitely meet the wage requirements. Just make sure to apply as soon as possible because there's usually a waiting period before benefits start. Also keep all your pay stubs and any paperwork from your employer about the layoff - you might need them during the application process.
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