What do you have to do to qualify for unemployment benefits with NYS Department of Labor?
I'm thinking about filing for unemployment but I'm not sure if I even qualify. My job at a retail store cut my hours down to basically nothing and I can't survive on 8 hours a week. What are the actual requirements to get unemployment benefits in New York? Do I need to be completely laid off or can I qualify with reduced hours? Also heard there are work search requirements - what exactly do I have to do each week to keep getting benefits?
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Sebastián Stevens
You can definitely qualify for partial unemployment benefits if your hours were reduced significantly. NYS Department of Labor looks at your earnings compared to your benefit rate. You need to have worked and earned wages in at least 2 quarters during your base period, and your total wages need to meet minimum thresholds. For partial benefits, if you work less than 4 days in a week and earn less than your weekly benefit rate, you can still collect reduced benefits. You also have to be able and available for work and actively searching for employment.
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Angelina Farar
•Thanks! What counts as 'actively searching' - is there a minimum number of jobs I need to apply to each week?
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Bethany Groves
The job search requirement is 3 work search activities per week. This can include applying for jobs, attending job fairs, networking events, or using NYS Department of Labor career services. You need to keep a detailed log of all your activities including dates, employer names, contact info, and type of contact. They can audit your work search log at any time so keep good records.
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KingKongZilla
•Wait I thought it was only 2 activities per week? Or did that change recently?
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Bethany Groves
•It's been 3 activities per week for regular UI claims. You might be thinking of some of the temporary pandemic rules that were different.
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Rebecca Johnston
ugh the whole system is so confusing!! I tried calling NYS Department of Labor like 20 times last week to ask about my eligibility and could never get through. The website has so much information but its hard to figure out what applies to your specific situation. Really wish there was an easier way to just talk to someone who could tell me if im wasting my time or not.
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Nathan Dell
•I had the same problem trying to reach them by phone. Found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that actually got me through to a NYS Department of Labor agent in like 20 minutes. They have a video demo showing how it works: https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI. Saved me hours of redialing and getting busy signals.
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Rebecca Johnston
•Interesting, never heard of that before. Did they charge you anything or was it free to use?
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Nathan Dell
•There's a fee but honestly worth it when you need answers fast and can't get through the regular way. Much better than spending days trying to call.
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Maya Jackson
Also make sure you understand the monetary eligibility requirements. You need sufficient wages in your base period which is usually the first 4 of the last 5 quarters before you file. If you don't have enough wages in the standard base period they might use an alternate base period. The minimum wage requirement changes but it's around $2,800 in your highest earning quarter I think.
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Angelina Farar
•How do I know what my base period wages are? Is that something I can check online somewhere?
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Sebastián Stevens
•You can see your wage history when you file your claim through the NYS Department of Labor website. They'll show you exactly what wages they have on record for each quarter and whether you meet the requirements.
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Tristan Carpenter
Don't forget you also have to register with the state job matching system as part of your claim. It's all done online now through the NYS Department of Labor portal. You'll need to create a complete profile with your work history, skills, and job preferences.
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