What is unemployment insurance - confused about NYS Department of Labor benefits

Unemployment insurance (UI) is a program run by the NYS Department of Labor that provides temporary financial assistance to workers who lose their jobs through no fault of their own. Basically, while you were working, a small amount was taken from your paycheck (along with employer contributions) to fund this insurance program. When you become unemployed, you can file a claim to receive weekly benefit payments while you search for new work. You'll need to meet certain requirements like being able and available to work, actively searching for jobs, and certifying your status weekly.

Unemployment Insurance (UI) is the official name for what most people just call unemployment benefits. It's a program run by NYS Department of Labor that provides temporary financial assistance when you lose your job through no fault of your own. You can actually qualify for partial benefits if your hours are reduced significantly, which sounds like it might apply to your situation. The program is funded by employer taxes, so you've essentially been paying into it through your work history.

To get started you need to file your initial claim on the NYS Department of Labor website. You'll need your Social Security number, driver's license, and employment information for the past 18 months including employer names, addresses, and dates of employment. After your claim is processed, you'll need to certify for benefits every week by answering questions about your job search activities and any work you may have done.

yeah its basically money the state gives you when you lose your job, but theres a ton of rules about it. you have to look for work and report it every week and they can deny you for basically anything

I was in a similar situation last year when my restaurant cut everyone's shifts. You can definitely get partial UI benefits if your weekly earnings drop below a certain threshold. You'll need to file a claim on my.ny.gov and then file weekly claims every week. The hardest part for me was getting through to someone at NYS Department of Labor when I had questions - their phone lines are always busy and sometimes you just get disconnected after waiting forever.

Just be prepared for the process to take some time. I filed my claim three weeks ago and it's still in adjudication because they need to verify something with my previous employer. The NYS Department of Labor phone lines are always busy too, so if you run into issues it can be really hard to get through to someone for help.

Just remember that unemployment insurance has nothing to do with health insurance or disability - those are completely separate programs. UI is specifically for people who are unemployed or underemployed and able to work. You'll also need to keep detailed records of your job search activities because NYS Department of Labor requires you to make a certain number of work search contacts each week.

One thing to keep in mind is that unemployment insurance isn't just free money - there are job search requirements you have to meet. In NY you need to make at least 3 job contacts per week and keep a log of your search activities. The NYS Department of Labor can audit your job search records, so make sure you're actually looking for work and documenting everything properly.

wait so they take money out of our paychecks for this but then make us jump through hoops to actually get it?? that seems messed up

@previous poster - the requirements exist to make sure the system isn't abused and that people are genuinely trying to get back to work. It's not perfect but it does help millions of people who genuinely need temporary assistance between jobs.