What are the three main criteria for unemployment benefits in NY - need clarification
I'm trying to help my cousin understand if she qualifies for unemployment in New York and I keep seeing different information online. Can someone break down what the three main criteria are for getting unemployment benefits? She lost her job last month but wants to make sure she meets all the requirements before applying through NYS Department of Labor. I think it's something about being able to work, available for work, and actively looking for work but I want to make sure I'm giving her the right info.
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Jeremiah Brown
Yes, you're basically right! The three main criteria for unemployment benefits in NY are: 1) You must be able to work (physically and mentally capable), 2) You must be available for work (ready to accept suitable employment), and 3) You must be actively seeking work (making genuine efforts to find employment). Your cousin will also need to have earned enough wages during her base period and be unemployed through no fault of her own.
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JacksonHarris
•Thank you! That's really helpful. She was laid off so that should count as not her fault. What exactly counts as 'actively seeking work' though?
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Royal_GM_Mark
The job search requirement is usually 3 work search activities per week that you have to log in the NYS Department of Labor system. This can include applying for jobs, attending job fairs, networking events, or meeting with career counselors. Make sure she keeps detailed records because they do audit these sometimes.
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Amelia Cartwright
•Wait I thought it was only 2 activities per week? Or did they change it recently?
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Royal_GM_Mark
•It's 3 activities per week for most people, but some people might have different requirements depending on their situation or if they're in a training program.
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Chris King
Don't forget she also needs to file her weekly claims every week even if she hasn't found work yet. Missing those weekly certifications can mess up your benefits big time. I learned that the hard way when I forgot to file one week and had to call NYS Department of Labor to fix it.
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JacksonHarris
•Good point! How long did it take to get that sorted out when you called?
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Chris King
•Honestly it was a nightmare trying to get through on the phone. Took me like 2 weeks of trying before I could talk to someone. If she runs into phone issues, I recently heard about this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helps you get through to NYS Department of Labor agents. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Might be worth checking out if the phone lines are still crazy busy.
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Rachel Clark
Also make sure she applies ASAP because there's a waiting week and benefits don't start immediately. The sooner she gets her claim in, the sooner she can start receiving payments if she's eligible.
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