What is unemployment right now in NYS - need to understand current benefits and requirements

Current NYS unemployment benefits are back to the standard pre-pandemic structure. You can receive up to $504 per week for a maximum of 26 weeks, though your actual benefit amount depends on your previous earnings. You'll need to file weekly claims and actively search for work - that means documenting at least 3 job search activities per week. The NYS Department of Labor requires you to register with their job search system and be available for work.

its basically the regular system now, none of that pandemic stuff anymore. you file weekly, look for jobs, get money if you qualify. pretty straightforward but the website can be annoying to navigate

Here's what you need to know: Regular unemployment insurance (UI) provides temporary income while you're between jobs. You must have worked and earned enough wages to establish a claim. The current job search requirement is 3 documented activities per week - this can include online applications, attending job fairs, networking events, or interviews. You can do most activities online, but they need to be genuine job search efforts.

The NYS Department of Labor system is such a pain to deal with right now! I've been trying to get through to them for weeks about my claim status. If you need to actually talk to someone there, I found this service called Claimyr that helped me get connected. They have a website at claimyr.com and there's a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Saved me hours of trying to get through their phone lines.

just started collecting myself after getting cut from my restaurant job. the benefits aren't amazing but they help cover basics while job hunting. make sure you certify every week on time or you'll lose that week's payment

Right now unemployment is basically what it was before COVID hit. The extra federal benefits are long gone. You get your state benefit based on what you earned, up to the maximum, and you have to follow all the standard rules about being able and available for work.