What happens when NY unemployment benefits expire? Restaurant worker can't find job

Unfortunately, once your husband exhausts his 26 weeks of regular NY unemployment benefits, there aren't currently any automatic extensions available in 2025 (unlike during the pandemic). He has a few options though: 1. He could potentially qualify for NY Safety Net benefits if he's used up all regular UI benefits. It provides about 20% less than regular UI for up to 13 additional weeks. He would need to contact NYSDOL to determine eligibility. 2. If he's having trouble in the restaurant industry specifically, the Career Centers offer free retraining programs that might help him transition to a different field with better employment prospects. 3. Depending on your household income, he might qualify for other assistance programs like SNAP benefits to help during this transition period. He should definitely contact NYSDOL directly before his benefits end to discuss these options, as each situation is unique.

just went thru this with my wife. when regular benefits run out thats IT. no more $. the safety net thing hardly pays anything and they make it nearly impossible to qualify. ur husband should be applying to ANY job not just restaurants before the money stops. warehouse work is always hiring

I was in the exact same situation last year - 15 years in restaurants and then nothing. What worked for me was identifying transferable skills from restaurant work that apply to other industries. For example: - Customer service skills → retail, call centers, customer support - Inventory management → warehouse, logistics - Team coordination → administrative roles Also, don't wait until benefits expire to look into assistance programs. Contact your local Department of Social Services now to see what you might qualify for. It takes time to process those applications. Retraining programs through NY Career Centers can be really good. My friend did a 6-week course for basic office skills and found work within a month afterward.

my cousin did that saftey net thing and it was only like $240 a week... barely covers groceries let alone rent!!!! the whole system is broken IMO. tell ur husband to try hotel work if he has restaurant experience, they always need ppl

Has your husband been calling the NYSDOL to talk to someone about options? That was the only thing that helped me when I was in a similar situation. I spent DAYS trying to get through on the phone with no luck. The website isn't helpful for specific situations like this. I finally used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an agent within about 30 minutes instead of spending days redialing. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE The agent I spoke with explained all my options including training programs specifically for restaurant workers transitioning to other industries. There's actually a special program right now because so many restaurant workers are struggling to find jobs in 2025.

I want to add something important - make sure your husband continues certifying weekly EVEN AFTER his benefits are exhausted if he's still unemployed. That way if any additional programs become available (sometimes NY adds emergency extensions), he'll be automatically considered without a gap in his claim history.

One more thing to consider: if your husband takes part-time work while looking for full-time employment, he might still be eligible for partial unemployment benefits, even under Safety Net. Many people don't realize this. As long as he works fewer than 4 days per week and earns less than the maximum benefit rate, he could receive a reduced benefit. This can be a good strategy to extend benefits while building experience in a new field. Just make sure he reports all earnings accurately during weekly certifications.

Thank you all for the helpful advice. I spoke with my husband and we're going to: 1. Keep applying for jobs but expand beyond just restaurants 2. Try to contact NYSDOL directly about Safety Net benefits using that calling service 3. Look into the career center retraining programs 4. Check what part-time options might be available to extend benefits It's really scary being in this situation but your advice has given us some direction. I'll update if we learn anything that might help others.