NYS Department of Labor unemployment benefits with extremely low wages - how much will I get?
I've been working part-time for the past year making basically minimum wage and my total earnings were only around $520 for the entire base period. I know this sounds crazy low but I was also a full-time student and could only work like 4-5 hours per week. Now I graduated and lost my campus job, so I'm trying to figure out if I can even qualify for unemployment benefits through NYS Department of Labor. Does anyone know what the minimum weekly benefit amount is? I'm worried I won't get anything at all since my wages were so low. Has anyone been in a similar situation with really minimal earnings?
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Ethan Clark
In New York, you need to have earned at least $2,600 in your base period to qualify for unemployment benefits. Your base period is the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before you file. With only $520 in total earnings, you unfortunately won't meet the minimum earnings requirement for regular unemployment insurance. You'd need to check if you had any other jobs or earnings during your base period that you might have forgotten about.
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Amelia Martinez
•That's what I was afraid of. I didn't have any other jobs during that time since I was focused on school. So basically I'm out of luck for unemployment benefits?
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Mila Walker
Wait, are you sure about your base period calculation? When exactly did you file your claim? The base period might include quarters where you had higher earnings. You should log into your my.ny.gov account and check your quarterly wage history to see exactly what NYS Department of Labor has on file for you. Sometimes there are discrepancies or delayed reporting from employers.
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Amelia Martinez
•I just filed last week. I'll check my wage history but I'm pretty sure those were my only earnings. The campus job was my first real job.
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Logan Scott
Even if you don't qualify for regular UI benefits, you might want to look into other programs. Some students are eligible for different types of assistance, especially if you're actively job searching now that you've graduated. The workforce development programs might have resources for new graduates.
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Chloe Green
I had trouble getting through to NYS Department of Labor when I had questions about my earnings history. If you need to speak with someone directly about your specific situation, I found this service called Claimyr that helps you actually get through to an agent by phone. Check out claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Saved me hours of busy signals when I needed to verify my wage records.
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Amelia Martinez
•Thanks, I might need that if my online account doesn't show the full picture. Did they charge you a lot for the service?
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Chloe Green
•It was worth it for me since I couldn't get through any other way. The main thing is it actually works - you get connected to a real person at NYS Department of Labor instead of getting hung up on.
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Lucas Adams
this whole system is so confusing for students!! why dont they make it clearer what the requirements are before you waste time filing
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Harper Hill
Just to clarify - the minimum weekly benefit amount in NY is $104 if you do qualify, but like others said, you need that $2,600 minimum in base period wages first. The formula is basically your highest quarter earnings divided by 26, but you have to meet the threshold requirements.
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