New York (NY) Unemployment Benefits

In New York, as in every other state, employees who are temporarily out of work through no fault of their own may qualify to collect unemployment benefits.

If you worked in New York State within the last 18 months, you have the right to file a claim for benefits as long as you meet the qualifying conditions set by law.

To collect benefits, you must be able to work, available for work and be actively looking for work during each week in which you are claiming benefits.

FAQ #

How can I collect unemployment in NY? #

In order to claim unemployment in NY, you must meet the following eligibility requirements:

1. Have enough prior earnings from employment to establish a claim.
2. Be totally or partially unemployed.
3. Be unemployed through no fault of your own.
4. Be ready and willing to immediately accept work.
5. Be actively looking for work. ¹

Unless otherwise exempt, you are required, as a condition of eligibility, to do at least three work search activities each week and provide proof of your work search efforts to the Department of Labor upon request.

To establish a valid claim, you must have:

1. received wages in at least two of the quarters,
2. earned at least $3,100 in one calendar quarter,
3. total base period earnings of 1.5 times your high quarter earnings.

For example, if you made $4,000 in one quarter, then the total for all four quarters must be $6,000 or higher.

How much unemployment will I get in NY? #

How much you may get for unemployment in NY is the total you earned in your highest quarter divided by 26, up to a maximum of $504 per week.

To find out how much your actual weekly benefits will be, use this calculator. Please note that this is for estimation purposes only.

How long can you collect unemployment in NY? #

In New York, you can collect unemployment benefits for a maximum of 26 full weeks during a one-year period called a “benefit year”.

Can I extend my unemployment benefits in NY? #

No, benefits are limited to a maximum of 26 weeks only. There are no exceptions.

Extensions for collecting UI benefits are in effect only during periods of high unemployment. As of 2019, Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC) benefits are no longer available in NY.

How do I claim my weekly unemployment benefits in NY? #

To file a claim, use your NY.gov ID to sign in to your online account with the Department of Labor or create a new account if you don’t already have one.

You may also claim your weekly benefits by calling the Telephone Claims Center at (888) 209-8124, 8 am to 5 pm, Monday – Friday.

What do I do if my unemployment claim is denied? #

If you are denied benefits for any reason, you have the right to appeal the decision within 30 days from the date of the determination.

You can request a hearing online through your NY.gov account or by completing a Claimant Hearing Request Form and mail it to:

New York State Department of Labor
PO Box 15131,
Albany, NY 12212-5131

If you are eligible, your first payment will generally be made in two to three weeks from the time you file your claim.

In addition, you must continue to certify for benefits and meet eligibility requirements each week in order to receive benefit payments.

References