What are the requirements for collecting unemployment in NY - confused about NYS Department of Labor eligibility
I just got laid off from my job at a manufacturing plant after working there for 8 months. This is my first time ever having to file for unemployment and I'm really confused about what the requirements are for collecting benefits through NYS Department of Labor. I've heard different things from coworkers - some say you need to work for a full year, others say 6 months is enough. I made about $42,000 during those 8 months. Can someone break down what exactly NYS Department of Labor looks for when determining if you're eligible? I don't want to waste time filing if I don't qualify.
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Aisha Ali
The main requirements for NYS Department of Labor unemployment benefits are: 1) You must have worked and earned wages in at least two quarters of your base period (usually the first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters), 2) You must have earned at least $2,800 in your highest quarter, 3) Total wages in base period must be at least 1.5 times your highest quarter wages, 4) You must be unemployed through no fault of your own, 5) You must be able and available to work, and 6) You must actively search for work. With 8 months of work and $42k earnings, you should definitely qualify if you were laid off.
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Mateo Gonzalez
•Thank you! This is super helpful. So the base period thing - does that mean they look at specific calendar quarters or just any 4 quarters? I started working in March 2024.
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Ethan Moore
yeah you should be fine, i got laid off after only 6 months last year and got benefits no problem. the hardest part isnt qualifying its actually getting through to someone at NYS Department of Labor when you have questions lol
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Yuki Nakamura
•If you're having trouble reaching NYS Department of Labor by phone, I had success using Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through to an agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Saved me hours of calling and getting busy signals when I needed to check on my adjudication status.
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StarSurfer
Wait I'm confused about the job search requirement. Do you have to start looking for work immediately or is there a waiting period? And how many jobs do you have to apply to each week? I keep seeing different numbers mentioned.
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Aisha Ali
•You must register for work services within 7 days of filing your initial claim and start your job search activities immediately. NYS Department of Labor requires you to complete at least 3 work search activities per week, which can include applying for jobs, attending job fairs, networking events, or career counseling sessions. You need to keep a detailed log of all activities.
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Carmen Reyes
The system is so confusing and they make it deliberately hard to understand! I've been fighting with NYS Department of Labor for months over a simple question about my benefit calculation. The website is terrible and the phone system hangs up on you constantly. Good luck getting a straight answer about anything.
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Andre Moreau
•I feel your frustration! The NYS Department of Labor system can be really overwhelming, especially when you're already stressed about being unemployed. Have you tried reaching out through their online messaging system? Sometimes that works better than calling.
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Zoe Christodoulou
One thing to remember is that even if you qualify, there's usually a one week waiting period before you can start collecting benefits. And make sure you file your weekly claims every week even if your initial claim is still being processed or you'll lose those weeks.
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Mateo Gonzalez
•Good point about the weekly claims! So I should file those even before I hear back about whether my initial application was approved?
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Zoe Christodoulou
•Yes absolutely! You can't go back and claim weeks you missed filing for. The weekly certification is separate from your initial application approval.
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