NYS Department of Labor work requirement - how long do you have to work at a job before you can collect unemployment?

It's not about how long you work at one specific job - it's about your total earnings over what NYS Department of Labor calls the 'base period.' You need to have earned wages in at least two quarters of your base period and meet the minimum earnings requirement. The base period is typically the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before you file your claim.

yeah the minimum is like $2,600 in your highest quarter and total earnings of at least $3,900 during the base period. but you also have to be unemployed through no fault of your own - if you quit without good cause you might not qualify

I had a similar situation last year where I was worried about the work requirement. What matters is your earnings history, not just your current job. If you've worked before this 6-week position, that previous work counts toward your base period. The NYS Department of Labor looks at your total wage credits, not individual job duration. You can actually check your wage credits online through your my.ny.gov account.

Wait I'm confused about the base period thing. If I just started working again after being unemployed for 8 months, would my old job from over a year ago still count? The NYS Department of Labor website is so confusing with all the quarters and dates.

If you're having trouble getting through to NYS Department of Labor to check your eligibility, I found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get connected to an actual agent without waiting on hold forever. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. I was able to get my questions answered about wage credits and base period calculations in like 20 minutes instead of spending hours trying to call.

The system is so backwards. You can work somewhere for years and get laid off and still have to jump through hoops to prove you're eligible. Meanwhile someone who barely worked can sometimes qualify if they hit the right quarters. Makes no sense.

The confusion is totally understandable - I went through the same thing when I was between jobs. The key thing to remember is that NYS looks at your entire work history during that base period, not just your current job. So @Lydia Santiago, your 6 weeks at the new job plus any previous work you had in the last 5 quarters would all count toward meeting those wage requirements. I'd recommend logging into your my.ny.gov account like Eve mentioned to see your actual wage credits - that'll give you a clear picture of where you stand eligibility-wise before you need to make any decisions about the job fit.

One thing that might help clarify the base period calculation - NYS Department of Labor also has an alternative base period option if you don't qualify under the standard one. The alternative base period uses the last four completed calendar quarters instead of the first four of the last five. This can be helpful for people who had recent employment changes or gaps. So even if your work history seems spotty when looking at the standard base period, you might still qualify under the alternative calculation. It's worth mentioning this option when you call or apply, as they don't always automatically check both methods.

Just wanted to add that timing matters too when you're thinking about filing. If you're still in that 6-week probationary period and things aren't working out, you might want to consider whether leaving would be considered "good cause" versus being terminated. NYS Department of Labor distinguishes between quitting for good cause (like unsafe working conditions, significant changes to job duties, etc.) and just quitting because the job isn't a good fit. If you're terminated during probation through no fault of your own, that's usually fine for unemployment eligibility. But if you quit just because it's not working out, that could complicate things even if you meet all the wage requirements everyone mentioned.

I've been through a similar situation where I wasn't sure about my eligibility after starting a new job. What really helped me was calling the NYS Department of Labor directly to go over my specific work history and wage credits. They can tell you exactly where you stand based on your individual circumstances. The representatives are usually pretty helpful once you get through - though I know that can be the challenging part! They can also explain how your previous employment would factor into the base period calculation, which varies depending on when exactly you file. It's worth having that conversation before you make any decisions about the job, especially since you're still in the probationary period where things could go either way.