What is supplemental unemployment benefits - NYS Department of Labor confusion
I keep seeing references to 'supplemental unemployment benefits' but I'm totally confused about what this actually means in New York. Is this something different from regular UI benefits through NYS Department of Labor? I've been getting my weekly unemployment payments but wondering if there's additional money I should be applying for. My cousin mentioned something about SUB pay from her old job but I have no idea if that applies to me. Can someone explain what supplemental unemployment benefits are and if I need to do anything special to get them?
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Giovanni Martello
Supplemental unemployment benefits (SUB) are employer-provided payments that supplement your regular NYS Department of Labor unemployment benefits. These come from your former employer's SUB plan, not from the state. If your company had a SUB plan, you'd typically know about it from your employee handbook or HR. It's separate from your weekly UI claim with NYS Department of Labor.
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Grant Vikers
•Oh that makes sense! So I would have known about this when I was working there? I don't remember anything like that in my paperwork.
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Savannah Weiner
yeah i think only certain union jobs and big companies do the SUB thing... never heard of it at my retail job lol
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Levi Parker
SUB plans are pretty rare nowadays. They're usually found in manufacturing, automotive, or heavily unionized workplaces. The employer pays into a fund that provides additional money on top of your NYS Department of Labor benefits. If you had one, you would have been informed during employment and there would be specific procedures to follow when filing for unemployment.
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Libby Hassan
•This is so confusing! How am I supposed to know if my old job had this? I worked at a hospital for 3 years and nobody ever mentioned supplemental anything.
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Hunter Hampton
I had SUB benefits at my old automotive plant job. You have to apply for them separately from your regular unemployment claim. The company handles the SUB payments, not NYS Department of Labor. Mine added an extra $150 per week on top of my UI benefits. Check your old employee handbook or call your former HR department to ask if they have a SUB plan.
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Grant Vikers
•Wow $150 extra would be amazing right now! I'll definitely check with my old HR department tomorrow.
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Sofia Peña
If you're having trouble reaching your former employer's HR department about SUB benefits or any other unemployment-related questions, I found claimyr.com really helpful for getting through to NYS Department of Labor agents when I had issues. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. While they can't help with employer-specific SUB plans, they were great for resolving my regular UI claim problems when I couldn't get through the phone lines.
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Grant Vikers
•Thanks for the tip! I might need that if my HR department gives me the runaround about whether we had SUB benefits.
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Aaron Boston
Most people don't have SUB benefits so don't stress about it too much. Focus on making sure your regular NYS Department of Labor weekly claims are filed correctly and on time. That's your main source of income replacement while unemployed.
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