When did COVID unemployment programs end in NY - confused about current benefits
I'm really confused about what unemployment programs are still available. My neighbor keeps talking about how she got extra money during COVID but I lost my job last month and I'm only getting regular UI benefits. When exactly did all the COVID unemployment stuff end? I thought there might still be some extra help available but the NYS Department of Labor website isn't super clear about what ended when. Are there any special programs left or is it just back to normal unemployment now?
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Maria Gonzalez
All the federal COVID unemployment programs ended in September 2021. That includes PUA (for gig workers), PEUC (extended benefits), and the extra $300 weekly payments. What you're getting now is just regular state unemployment insurance which is what was available before the pandemic. The maximum weekly benefit in NY is currently around $504 depending on your earnings history.
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Elijah Brown
AuthorWow I had no idea it ended that long ago! So there's really nothing extra available anymore? My benefit amount seems pretty low compared to what I was making.
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Natalie Chen
yeah its been over for years now, just regular unemployment. i remember when the extra money stopped it was a big shock for alot of people
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Santiago Martinez
The confusion is understandable because those programs lasted about 18 months total. Regular UI benefits in NY are based on your earnings over the past 18 months, so if your benefit amount seems low you might want to check that NYS Department of Labor calculated it correctly. You can appeal the monetary determination if you think there's an error in your wage history.
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Elijah Brown
AuthorHow would I check if they calculated it right? I've been trying to call NYS Department of Labor but can never get through to anyone.
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Samantha Johnson
I had the same problem trying to reach someone at NYS Department of Labor about my benefit calculation. Spent weeks calling with no luck. Finally used this service called Claimyr that gets you connected to actual agents - you can check it out at claimyr.com and they have a demo video at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Got through to someone within a day and they helped me understand my benefit amount breakdown.
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Dana Doyle
You can check your monetary determination letter that they sent you when you first applied - it should show the wages they used to calculate your benefit. You can also log into your online account at labor.ny.gov and look at your benefit history. If you see missing wages or incorrect amounts, you can file an appeal online. I'd also suggest trying to call early morning right when they open at 8am - that's usually the best time to get through.
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Amun-Ra Azra
You can check your monetary determination by logging into your NY.gov account and looking at the "Monetary Determination" document they sent you. It should show all the wages they used to calculate your benefit. Compare that to your pay stubs or W-2s from the past 18 months. If there are missing wages from employers, you can file an appeal online through the same portal. I had to do this when they missed wages from a job I had early last year.
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GalacticGladiator
You can check your monetary determination online through the NY.gov unemployment portal - it should show a breakdown of the wages they used to calculate your benefit amount. Look for any quarters where your wages seem lower than what you actually earned. If you find errors, you can file an appeal online through the same portal. I had to do this when they missed wages from one of my employers and it took about 3-4 weeks to get corrected, but my benefit amount did increase once they had the right information.
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Nick Kravitz
Wait I thought there was still some kind of extended benefits available? My cousin in another state said she got extra weeks beyond the normal 26. Is that not a thing in NY anymore?
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Maria Gonzalez
You might be thinking of Extended Benefits (EB) which can trigger during high unemployment periods, but that's separate from the COVID programs. EB hasn't been available in NY recently because our unemployment rate hasn't hit the trigger threshold.
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Hannah White
Honestly the whole thing was such a mess anyway. I know people who got way more money sitting at home than they ever made working. At least now its back to normal and people have to actually look for jobs again.
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Michael Green
That's pretty harsh. A lot of people genuinely needed that help during the pandemic when businesses were forced to close.
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