NYS Department of Labor unemployment benefits timeline - when did covid unemployment start exactly?
I'm trying to figure out the exact dates when NYS Department of Labor started processing covid-related unemployment claims back in 2020. My employer is asking for documentation about when I first became eligible and I want to make sure I have the timeline right. I know regular UI was available but there were also the federal programs that came later. Does anyone remember the specific dates when different programs kicked in? I need this for some paperwork I'm filling out.
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StarSurfer
The CARES Act was signed March 27, 2020, which created the federal unemployment programs. NYS Department of Labor started accepting regular UI claims immediately for covid layoffs, but the federal programs like PUA and PEUC took several weeks to implement. Regular unemployment was available right away if you were laid off due to business closures.
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Yuki Nakamura
•Thanks! So if I was laid off in mid-March 2020, I would have been eligible for regular NYS Department of Labor benefits right away, not the federal programs?
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Carmen Reyes
I remember the NYS Department of Labor website crashing constantly in March and April 2020 because so many people were filing. The system wasn't ready for that volume. PUA didn't start until sometime in April or May for self-employed people and gig workers who normally wouldn't qualify for regular UI.
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Andre Moreau
•Yeah those were crazy times! I couldn't even get through on the phone for weeks.
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Zoe Christodoulou
If you're having trouble getting through to NYS Department of Labor for documentation, you might want to check out claimyr.com - they help people connect with unemployment agents when the phone lines are busy. There's a demo video at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. I used it last year when I needed help with my claim status and it saved me hours of calling.
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Jamal Thompson
•How does that work exactly? Do they actually get you through to a real person at NYS Department of Labor?
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Zoe Christodoulou
•Yeah they handle the calling and waiting for you, then connect you when an agent picks up. Really helpful when you need specific info about your claim dates or documentation.
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Mei Chen
just check your my.ny.gov account, it should have all your claim history with dates
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Yuki Nakamura
•I tried that but my account only goes back to 2022 for some reason. The older stuff isn't showing up.
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CosmicCadet
The whole rollout was such a mess! I remember NYS Department of Labor kept changing the rules and nobody knew what was happening. They had to hire thousands of temporary workers just to handle all the claims. If you need exact dates, you might have to request your full claim history directly from them.
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