What is exhaustee unemployment with NYS Department of Labor - confused about my options
I've been getting regular unemployment benefits for about 20 weeks now and I think I'm getting close to running out. Someone mentioned something called 'exhaustee unemployment' but I have no idea what that means. Is this some kind of extension program through NYS Department of Labor? My claim status still shows active but I'm worried about what happens when my 26 weeks are up. I've been doing my weekly claims and job searches like I'm supposed to but still haven't found anything permanent. Can someone explain what exhaustee unemployment actually is and how it works in New York?
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Mohammad Khaled
Exhaustee unemployment typically refers to extended benefits that kick in when you've used up your regular 26 weeks of UI benefits. In New York, this used to be called Extended Benefits (EB) but the program only activates when unemployment rates hit certain thresholds. Right now the state unemployment rate isn't high enough to trigger EB. During the pandemic there were federal extension programs but those ended in 2021.
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Fiona Sand
•So there's basically no extension available right now? That's really concerning because I definitely won't find a job in the next 6 weeks.
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Alina Rosenthal
wait i thought exhaustee meant something else entirely... isn't that when your claim gets exhausted and you have to refile? i'm so confused about all these terms
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Finnegan Gunn
•You're mixing up different concepts. 'Exhausted' benefits means you've used up all your available weeks. 'Exhaustee' programs are extensions for people who have exhausted their regular benefits. Refiling is something different - that's when your benefit year ends and you need to start a new claim.
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Miguel Harvey
I went through this exact situation last year. When my regular UI ran out, I kept checking the NYS Department of Labor website hoping for some kind of extension but nothing was available. The unemployment rate has to be really high for Extended Benefits to trigger automatically. I ended up having to file for other assistance programs while continuing my job search.
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Fiona Sand
•What other programs did you apply for? I'm starting to panic about paying rent once my benefits end.
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Miguel Harvey
•I applied for SNAP benefits and looked into emergency rental assistance programs in my county. Also check if you qualify for any workforce development programs - some offer small stipends while you're in training.
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Ashley Simian
The whole system is so frustrating! They make it sound like there are all these safety nets but when you actually need them they're not available. I've been trying to get through to NYS Department of Labor to ask about this exact thing but their phone lines are always busy. Has anyone had luck actually talking to someone there recently?
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Oliver Cheng
•I had the same problem trying to reach them about my claim status. Someone on here recommended using claimyr.com - it's a service that helps you get through to NYS Department of Labor agents. I watched their demo video (https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI) and decided to try it. Actually got connected to an agent within a few hours instead of spending days calling. They explained my whole situation and confirmed there aren't any extension programs available right now.
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Ashley Simian
•That actually sounds really helpful. I'll check that out because I need to understand all my options before my benefits run out completely.
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Taylor To
just wanted to say i feel you on this - went through the same thing and it's really stressful when you see that week counter getting low. make sure you're documenting all your job searches properly because if anything does open up extension-wise you'll want to have everything in order
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