New York Unemployment Insurance

Unemployment insurance (UI) is a program that provides temporary financial assistance to eligible workers who have lost their jobs through no fault of their own. In New York, this program is administered by the Department of Labor (DOL). The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of New York unemployment insurance, including eligibility requirements, benefit amounts, and application procedures.

Eligibility Requirements

In order to be eligible for unemployment insurance benefits in New York, you must meet the following requirements:

1. Employment and Earnings Requirements

You must have worked and earned enough wages in New York State during the base period (the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before the week in which you file your claim) to establish a claim. In general, you must have earned at least $2,600 in one calendar quarter of your base period and your total earnings during your base period must be at least 1.5 times your high quarter earnings.

If you have not earned enough wages in New York State during the base period, you may still be eligible for unemployment insurance benefits if you meet certain other criteria, such as having worked for an employer who is liable for UI contributions in New York State or being a member of a union that has an agreement with the DOL.

2. Separation from Employment

You must be unemployed or partially unemployed through no fault of your own. This means that you must have been laid off, furloughed, or had your hours reduced due to lack of work, or that you were fired for reasons other than misconduct. If you quit your job or were fired for misconduct, you may be disqualified from receiving unemployment insurance benefits. However, there are some exceptions to this rule, such as if you quit your job due to a compelling family reason or if you were fired due to a medical condition.

3. Availability and Ability to Work

You must be ready, willing, and able to work and actively seeking work. This means that you must be able to work full-time, unless you have a valid reason for not being able to, such as a disability or a family care responsibility. You must also be actively searching for employment and keeping a record of your job search activities.

4. Residency and Authorization to Work

You must be a resident of New York State and authorized to work in the United States. If you are not a U.S. citizen, you must have work authorization from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

Benefit Amounts

The amount of unemployment insurance benefits you can receive in New York depends on your past earnings and your weekly benefit rate (WBR). Your WBR is generally 1/26th of your total earnings during your highest quarter of your base period. The maximum WBR you can receive in New York is currently $504 per week (as of 2021).

The maximum number of weeks you can receive unemployment insurance benefits in New York is currently 26 weeks. However, during times of high unemployment, the federal government may provide additional weeks of benefits through programs such as the Extended Benefits (EB) program or the Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC) program.

Application Procedures

If you meet the eligibility requirements for unemployment insurance benefits in New York, you can file a claim online through the DOL website or by phone at 1-888-209-8124. You must provide certain information when you file your claim, such as your Social Security number, your employment history, and your reason for separation from your most recent employer.

After you file your claim, you will receive a determination of your eligibility and a determination of your WBR. You will also be required to certify for benefits each week that you are unemployed or partially unemployed, which means you will need to report any earnings you receive and any job search activities you have undertaken.

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