What makes you eligible for unemployment benefits through NYS Department of Labor?

The main eligibility requirements for NYS unemployment are: 1) You must have earned enough wages during your base period (usually first 4 of last 5 completed quarters), 2) You must be unemployed through no fault of your own (laid off, not fired for misconduct), 3) You must be able and available to work, and 4) You must actively search for work. With 8 months at your recent job plus a year before that, you should meet the wage requirements. Since you were laid off, that covers the 'no fault' requirement too.

The basic eligibility requirements for NYS Department of Labor unemployment benefits are: 1) You must have worked and earned wages in at least two quarters during your base period, 2) You must have earned at least $2,600 in your highest quarter, 3) Your total base period wages must be at least 1.5 times your high quarter wages, 4) You must be unemployed through no fault of your own, and 5) You must be able, available, and actively seeking work. Your base period is typically the first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters before you file. Since you were laid off due to the business closing, that should meet the 'no fault of your own' requirement.

You need to do at least 3 work search activities per week and keep a log of them. This can include applying for jobs, going to job interviews, attending job fairs, or networking events. Make sure you keep detailed records because NYS Department of Labor can audit your job search log at any time. I learned this the hard way when they requested mine last year.

you can check your wage history on the my.ny.gov website under employment services. i had to do this when i filed last year and it shows all your quarterly wages from employers who reported to NYS Department of Labor. super helpful to see if you qualify before going through the whole application process

I've been trying to get through to NYS Department of Labor for weeks to ask about my eligibility but their phone lines are always busy! Anyone know the best time to call? I keep getting disconnected after waiting on hold forever.

Don't forget about the work search requirements too. You have to actively look for work and keep a log of your job search activities. NYS Department of Labor requires 3 work search activities per week, and they can audit your search log at any time. Make sure you understand what counts as a valid work search activity before you start filing weekly claims.

The NYS Department of Labor system is such a pain to deal with sometimes. I qualified easily based on wages but then got stuck in adjudication for weeks because they wanted to verify my separation reason. Even though I had all the documentation, getting through to someone at NYS Department of Labor to explain the situation was nearly impossible with their phone system.

Just to add - if you were fired for misconduct or quit without good cause, you won't be eligible. But if you quit for reasons like unsafe working conditions, harassment, or significant changes to your job duties/pay, you might still qualify. It's worth applying even if you're not 100% sure.

Been on UI twice and the wage requirement always trips people up. They look at your earnings from like a year ago, not your recent paychecks. So even if you just started working somewhere new, they might base it on an old job.

also make sure you file your claim as soon as possible after losing your job! there's no waiting period in NY but you can't get benefits for weeks before you actually file your claim. i made that mistake and lost out on like 2 weeks of benefits because i waited too long thinking about whether i qualified

Based on what you've described, you should definitely qualify! Being laid off due to the business closing absolutely meets the "no fault of your own" requirement. With 8 months at your restaurant job plus 6 months at retail before that, you likely have enough work history. The key things to check: 1) Make sure both employers reported your wages to NYS (you can verify this on my.ny.gov like someone mentioned), 2) Calculate if you earned at least $2,600 in your highest earning quarter, and 3) File ASAP since you can't get benefits for weeks before you actually apply. Don't overthink it - even if you're unsure about meeting all requirements, it's better to apply and let them determine your eligibility than to miss out on benefits you're entitled to.