NYS Department of Labor unemployment who qualifies - confused about eligibility requirements
I'm trying to figure out if I qualify for unemployment benefits through NYS Department of Labor but the eligibility info online is confusing me. I worked part-time for 8 months at a retail job making about $18/hour, then got laid off last week. Before that I had a different job for about 6 months. Do I have enough work history? Also what counts as being 'able and available' for work? I can work any shift but I don't have a car so I'm limited to jobs I can get to by bus. Does that disqualify me? Really stressed about this whole process and not sure if it's even worth applying.
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Zara Ahmed
You definitely should apply! NYS Department of Labor looks at your earnings over the past 18 months to determine eligibility. With 14 months of work history, you likely have enough quarters of coverage. The 'able and available' requirement just means you're physically capable of working and actively seeking employment. Transportation limitations don't disqualify you as long as you're applying for jobs within your commuting area. The worst they can say is no, but based on what you described, you should qualify for at least some weekly benefit amount.
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Sean O'Connor
•Thanks! That makes me feel better. Should I apply online or is there a better way to do it?
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Luca Conti
Apply online through the NYS Department of Labor website - it's way faster than trying to call. You'll need your Social Security number, employment history for the last 18 months, and your most recent employer's info. Make sure you have exact dates and addresses for all your jobs. The system will calculate your base period earnings automatically to determine if you meet the minimum requirements. Since you worked consistently for over a year, you should be fine.
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Nia Johnson
•Just make sure you file your weekly claims on time every week or you'll lose benefits!
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CyberNinja
I had trouble reaching NYS Department of Labor when I needed to check my claim status. Kept getting busy signals and their callback system never worked. Found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that actually got me through to a real agent in like 20 minutes. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Might be worth checking out if you run into phone issues later.
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Mateo Lopez
•Never heard of that but honestly anything is better than sitting on hold for hours with NYS Department of Labor
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Aisha Abdullah
wait i thought you needed to work full time to get unemployment?? i only worked part time too and was told i didnt qualify
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Zara Ahmed
•That's not correct - part-time workers can qualify for UI benefits as long as they meet the earnings requirements. You might want to reapply or appeal if you were denied incorrectly.
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Ethan Davis
Good luck with the whole process. The NYS Department of Labor system is such a mess right now, took me 6 weeks just to get my first payment approved.
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Sean O'Connor
•6 weeks?! That's terrifying, I need the money like next week to pay rent
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