Can I file for unemployment if I haven't worked 2 years with NYS Department of Labor?
I'm really confused about the work history requirements for filing unemployment in NY. I've been working part-time for about 14 months now but keep hearing different things about needing 2 years of work history. My hours got cut drastically last month and I'm struggling to pay rent. Can I still file with NYS Department of Labor even though I haven't been working for a full 2 years? I'm worried I don't qualify but desperately need help right now.
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Jenna Sloan
You don't need 2 years of work history! NYS Department of Labor looks at your earnings during your base period, which is typically the first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters before you file. As long as you earned enough wages during that period (currently $2,700 minimum), you can qualify. The 14 months you worked should be sufficient if you earned enough.
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Raul Neal
•Oh wow, thank you! So it's about earnings in those quarters, not just how long I've been working? That makes way more sense.
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Christian Burns
Yeah the 2 year thing is a myth that gets passed around. I qualified after only 8 months of work because I had decent wages. Just make sure you have your employment info ready when you file on my.ny.gov - they'll calculate your base period automatically.
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Sasha Reese
•Same here! I was panicking thinking I needed years of work history but got approved pretty quickly once I filed.
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Muhammad Hobbs
I had such a hard time getting through to NYS Department of Labor when I was confused about this same thing. If you need to talk to someone directly about your specific situation, I ended up using this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that actually got me connected to a real agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Saved me hours of calling and getting busy signals.
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Raul Neal
•How does that work exactly? Is it just a way to get through the phone lines faster?
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Muhammad Hobbs
•Yeah basically they handle the calling and waiting for you, then connect you when an agent picks up. Was way less stressful than trying to get through myself.
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Noland Curtis
just file anyway and see what happens, worst case they say no but at least you'll know for sure
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Diez Ellis
The NYS Department of Labor system is so confusing about these requirements! I've been working gig jobs for over a year and still wasn't sure if I qualified when my main contract ended. Turns out as long as you have W-2 or 1099 income during the base period quarters, you should be fine. Don't let the uncertainty stop you from applying.
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Raul Neal
•That's really helpful to know! I do have W-2s from my part-time job so hopefully that's enough documentation.
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Sofia Morales
I just went through this exact situation a few months ago! I was so worried about not having enough work history, but it turns out the NYS Department of Labor website has a really helpful eligibility calculator that can give you a quick idea if you qualify based on your earnings. You just need to gather your pay stubs or tax documents from the past 18 months. Also, even if your hours got cut, you might still be able to get partial unemployment benefits while working part-time, which could really help with your rent situation. The application process online is actually pretty straightforward once you have your employment info ready.
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