NYS Department of Labor disaster unemployment assistance - how much does disaster unemployment pay?
My business got damaged in the recent flooding and I heard there's disaster unemployment assistance available. Does anyone know how much disaster unemployment pay is through NYS Department of Labor? I can't find clear info on the payment amounts anywhere. My regular job search isn't going well since half the businesses in my area are still closed from the flood damage. Really need to know what to expect financially.
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Logan Scott
Disaster unemployment assistance through NYS Department of Labor typically pays the same weekly benefit rate as regular unemployment insurance. For 2025, the maximum weekly benefit is $504, but your actual amount depends on your earnings history. You'll get 50% of your average weekly wage up to that maximum. The program can provide up to 26 weeks of benefits if you're eligible.
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Mila Walker
•Thanks! Do I apply through the same my.ny.gov portal as regular unemployment or is there a separate application for disaster benefits?
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Chloe Green
I got disaster unemployment after Hurricane Sandy years ago. The payment was exactly the same as what I would have gotten for regular UI. The difference is disaster unemployment covers people who normally wouldn't qualify for regular benefits - like self-employed folks or people who lost work because their workplace was destroyed.
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Mila Walker
•That makes sense. My situation is that I'm employed but can't get to work because of road damage and my employer's building got flooded. Would that qualify me?
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Lucas Adams
If you're having trouble getting through to NYS Department of Labor to ask about disaster unemployment eligibility, I used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me reach an actual agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Really helped when I couldn't get through the regular phone lines during my claim issues.
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Harper Hill
•Interesting, never heard of that. The NYS Department of Labor phone system has been impossible lately with all the disaster claims being filed.
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Caden Nguyen
just so you know disaster unemployment usually requires federal declaration of disaster in your area. not every flood or storm qualifies unfortunately
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Avery Flores
The timing matters too - you usually have to apply within a certain timeframe after the disaster declaration. Don't wait too long to file your application with NYS Department of Labor. The disaster assistance program has stricter deadlines than regular unemployment.
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Mila Walker
•Good point about the deadlines. The flooding happened two weeks ago so I should be okay timing-wise. Just want to make sure I understand the benefit amounts before I apply.
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