What are unemployment benefits - confused about NYS Department of Labor eligibility and how much I can get
I just lost my job last week and everyone keeps telling me to file for unemployment benefits but I honestly have no idea what that even means or how it works. I've never been unemployed before and the NYS Department of Labor website is really confusing. Can someone explain what unemployment benefits actually are? Like how much money do you get and for how long? Do I even qualify if I was only working for 8 months? I'm really stressed about paying my rent next month and don't know where to start.
9 comments
Join the conversation
Ana Erdoğan
Unemployment benefits (also called UI) are temporary financial assistance from NYS Department of Labor to help you while you look for new work. You receive weekly payments based on your previous earnings - typically around 50% of your average weekly wage up to a maximum of $504 per week in NY. You can collect for up to 26 weeks if you meet the eligibility requirements. Since you worked 8 months, you should definitely apply as long as you earned enough wages during your base period.
0 coins
Ezra Bates
•Thank you! That's really helpful. How do I know if I earned enough wages? And what's a base period?
0 coins
Sophia Carson
The base period is usually the first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters before you file your claim. NYS Department of Labor uses this to calculate your benefit amount and determine if you qualify. You need to have worked and earned wages in at least 2 quarters of your base period. Go to labor.ny.gov and file your claim online - it will tell you if you qualify based on your work history.
0 coins
Elijah Knight
•yeah the online system walks you through everything, just have your social security number and previous employer info ready
0 coins
Brooklyn Foley
MAKE SURE you file your claim as soon as possible!! You can't get benefits for weeks before you file, so don't wait. Also you have to certify every week that you're looking for work or they'll stop your payments. The NYS Department of Labor is really strict about the job search requirements.
0 coins
Ezra Bates
•Oh no, I should have filed already? It's been a week since I lost my job. Am I too late?
0 coins
Jay Lincoln
I had such a nightmare trying to get through to NYS Department of Labor on the phone when I had questions about my claim. Kept getting hung up on after waiting for hours. Finally used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me reach an actual agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Saved me so much frustration dealing with the phone system.
0 coins
Jessica Suarez
•Never heard of that but honestly anything is better than trying to call them directly, their phone system is horrible
0 coins
Marcus Williams
you're not too late! i filed like 2 weeks after losing my job and it was fine. just file online asap and you'll get your first payment in about a week if everything goes smoothly
0 coins