What is seasonal unemployment and how does it work with NYS Department of Labor benefits?

Seasonal unemployment refers to joblessness that occurs regularly at certain times of the year due to the nature of the work or industry. In New York, seasonal workers like yourself can qualify for regular unemployment benefits during their off-season periods. You would file a regular UI claim with NYS Department of Labor, not a special seasonal claim. The key difference is that if you have a definite return-to-work date with the same employer, you may be placed on 'standby' status rather than being required to actively search for other work.

Yes you still certify weekly even on standby. The difference is you don't have to prove you're looking for other jobs since you have a set return date. But you DO need to be available and able to work if your employer calls you back early or if NYS Department of Labor requires you to accept other suitable work. Make sure your employer provides documentation about your expected return date when you file.

Wait I'm confused about something similar... I work at a summer camp and we're laying people off next month. Would this be seasonal unemployment too? Or is it different because it's a summer job ending in fall instead of winter job ending in spring??

Just wanted to add that I had trouble getting through to NYS Department of Labor last year when I had questions about my seasonal claim status. Spent hours on hold and kept getting disconnected. Finally used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get connected to an actual agent quickly. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Really saved me a lot of frustration trying to reach someone at NYS Department of Labor.

The whole seasonal thing is so frustrating because NYS Department of Labor treats us like we're gaming the system but this is just how these industries work! We didn't choose to have jobs that shut down for months at a time. At least unemployment helps bridge the gap but the hoops they make you jump through are ridiculous.

One thing that helped me when I was dealing with seasonal unemployment from my restaurant job (we close in winter) was keeping really good documentation. Save all emails from your employer about closure dates and expected reopening, keep your layoff notice, and document everything when you file your claim. NYS Department of Labor sometimes asks for proof that it's truly seasonal work versus just being laid off permanently. Also, even though you're on standby status, you still need to report any part-time work you might pick up during the off-season - I learned that the hard way when I did some freelance snow removal and didn't report it properly at first.