What qualifies unemployment benefits in NY - confused about NYS Department of Labor eligibility requirements
I'm trying to figure out if I qualify for unemployment benefits through NYS Department of Labor but I'm getting mixed information everywhere. I worked at a restaurant for 8 months before they laid me off last week due to slow business. My manager said I should be eligible but when I look at the my.ny.gov website there's all these requirements about wages and work history that seem confusing. Do I need to have worked a full year? What about the wage requirements - is there a minimum amount I had to earn? I made about $28k last year between two jobs. Also not sure what counts as being 'able and available' for work since I'm taking care of my elderly mom a few days a week. Can someone break down what actually qualifies you for UI benefits in New York?
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Joy Olmedo
The basic eligibility for NYS Department of Labor unemployment benefits requires you to have earned sufficient wages during your base period (usually the first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters). You need at least $2,600 in one quarter and total wages of at least $3,300 during the base period. Since you made $28k last year, you should easily meet the wage requirements. Being laid off due to lack of work definitely qualifies as being unemployed through no fault of your own. For the 'able and available' requirement, you need to be ready to accept suitable work, but caring for a family member doesn't automatically disqualify you as long as you can still work.
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Kingston Bellamy
•Thank you! That's really helpful. So the base period thing - does that mean they look at my wages from like January through December of last year? And what counts as 'suitable work' - do I have to take any job or can I look for something similar to what I was doing?
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Isaiah Cross
You also need to be actively looking for work and keep a record of your job search activities. NYS Department of Labor requires you to make at least 3 job contacts per week and log them in your online account when you file your weekly claims. The system will ask you about your work search each week. Don't skip this part - they do check and can audit your job search log.
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Kiara Greene
•Wait, is it really 3 contacts per week? I thought it was more than that. Also what counts as a job contact - does applying online count or do you have to actually talk to someone?
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Isaiah Cross
•Yes, it's 3 per week minimum. Online applications definitely count, but you need to keep detailed records including company name, position, date, and method of contact. Phone calls, in-person visits, networking contacts all count too.
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Evelyn Kelly
I had such a hard time reaching anyone at NYS Department of Labor when I was applying last year. The phone lines were always busy and the chat feature never worked. If you run into problems getting through to verify your eligibility or resolve any issues, I ended up using this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get connected to an actual agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Really saved me a lot of frustration when my claim got stuck in adjudication.
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Paloma Clark
•Never heard of that but honestly anything that helps with getting through to NYS Department of Labor sounds worth trying. I spent literally hours on hold just to get disconnected multiple times.
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Heather Tyson
just make sure you file your claim right away! there's like a waiting period or something and if you wait too long you might miss out on benefits. i think you have to file within a certain number of days after losing your job but not 100% sure on the exact timeframe
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Joy Olmedo
•You should file as soon as possible after becoming unemployed, but there isn't a strict deadline that disqualifies you. However, benefits can only be paid from the date you file your claim, not retroactively to when you lost your job. So the sooner you file, the better.
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Raul Neal
One thing to watch out for - if you quit your job you generally won't qualify unless it was for 'good cause' like unsafe working conditions or harassment. Since you were laid off that shouldn't be an issue, but just mentioning it because some people don't realize quitting usually disqualifies you from benefits.
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Megan D'Acosta
Good point about the layoff vs quitting distinction! @Kingston Bellamy since you mentioned you were laid off due to slow business, that definitely counts as being unemployed through no fault of your own, which is one of the key requirements. Just make sure when you file your claim that you accurately describe the reason for separation - "lack of work" or "reduction in force" are the typical codes they use for layoffs. Also, regarding your concern about caring for your mom - as long as you can demonstrate that you're available to work during normal business hours and can arrange care when needed, that shouldn't disqualify you. The key is showing you're genuinely seeking and available for employment.
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