How Do I Make A Claim
Go online and;begin by creating an account at NY.gov ID. Then proceed with the application. You’ll need your Social Security number, driver license number, the names and addresses of all your employers for the past 18 months, including those in other states. You’ll also need your Employer Registration number or its Federal Employer Identification Number, which can be found on your W-2 forms.
Submit An Application By Automated Phone
You can apply by phone on Fridays, between 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 pm.
At the end of the call, you will be transferred to a Customer Service Representative to complete your application.
How Long Will I Receive Unemployment Benefits
Most states’ unemployment benefits;cover 26 weeks; the CARES Act extended this period by 13 weeks, giving most people a total of 39 weeks of coverage. Florida residents, for example, who formerly received unemployment benefits for 12 weeks, are now covered for a total of 25 weeks. Note that if you had already exhausted all of your state-provided unemployment benefits, you could reapply for the federal program’s additional 13 weeks.;
For now, it’s unclear whether or for how long future legislation would expand this coverage period. Pandemic Unemployment Assistance will expire on Dec. 31.;
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How Will I Receive My Unemployment Benefits
According to the Department of Labor, after you file a claim, it will take approximately two to three weeks before you see your first benefit check.
In some states, you will have a one-week waiting period between the time you become unemployed and when you first become eligible for benefits. You will not receive unemployment compensation for this week when that is the case. After the waiting period, it generally takes an additional week to process your claim.
How much money you receive will generally be calculated on a percentage of your prior earnings during your base period, up to a cap limit set by the state in which you apply for benefits. Currently, weekly benefit amounts range up to $900 per week, but the vast majority of people receive between $200 and $400 per week.
Important Tips To Ensure Your Application Can Be Processed Timely
Unfortunately, identity theft is a common occurrence. Identity thieves sometimes use stolen identities to apply for unemployment benefits.
To verify your identity, we review your answers to ALL questions. We also verify the information you provide using other data sources. It is very important to read each question carefully and to give an accurate, complete response. Incorrect or incomplete information will result in delays in payments .
Here are some tips:
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Quantifying Reports Of Frustrated Filers For Unemployment
An estimated 24.4 million workers filed for unemployment benefits from March 15 through April 18. But while the CARES Act;significantly expanded workers UI eligibility and benefits during the coronavirus crisis, widespreadreports indicate that long-neglected state UI systems are unable to handle the volume of applications, preventing laid-off or furloughed workers from receiving necessary unemployment benefits. To gauge how well the UI system is handling the new caseloads, we used Google Surveys to ask 25,000 people, Did you apply for unemployment benefits in the last 4 weeks? From April 14 to April 24, 24,607 respondents answered the survey.
To our knowledge, ours is the one of the first national surveys that asks about the social safety net and its performance in the COVID-19 era. In the process of writing this draft, we became aware of another survey, conducted by Navigator and Global Strategy Group April 1722, that asked 1,022 registered voters about their experience and difficulty with accessing unemployment benefits. In addition, a survey conducted by Bick and Blanden April 2223 found that many respondents have yet to apply for UI benefits.
Figure A shows the shares of people who responded each of the six answers to the question, Did you apply for unemployment benefits in the last 4 weeks? .
Did you apply for unemployment benefits in the last 4 weeks? : Share of survey participants, by response
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Unemployment Insurance Relief During Covid
Notice
The CARES Act gives states the option of extending unemployment compensation to independent contractors and other workers who are ordinarily ineligible for unemployment benefits. Please contact your states unemployment insurance office at the website or phone number provided below to learn more about the availability of these benefits where you live.
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What If I Work Part
If youve lost work and are working less than four days a week, making $504 or less, you are eligible for unemployment benefits in New York.
But partial unemployment benefits are calculated based on the number of days you work, not the number of hours. So, even if you work only two hours each day for four days a week, the state unemployment system considers that working four days, and you would not qualify for unemployment benefits.
Nicole Salk, senior staff attorney at the nonprofit Legal Services NYC, recommends consolidating your hours.
If you have reduced work, try to put it all on one day, because then you maximize your benefits, she said.
For every day you work, you lose access to 25% of your maximum unemployment benefits. So if you work three days a week, you get 25% of your benefits. If you work two days a week, you get 50% of your benefits, and if you work one day a week, you get 75% of your benefits.
What Is An Offer Of Suitable Employment And How Is It Connected To Unemployment Insurance Eligibility
Most state unemployment insurance laws include language defining suitable employment. Typically, suitable employment is connected to the previous jobs wage level, type of work, and the claimants skills.
Refusing an offer of suitable employment without good cause will often disqualify individuals from continued eligibility for unemployment compensation.
For example, if an individuals former employer calls the individual back to work after having temporarily laid the individual off for reasons related to COVID-19, the individual would very likely have to accept the offer to return to work, or jeopardize his or her eligibility for unemployment insurance benefits, absent some extenuating circumstance, such as if the individual tested positive for COVID-19. The job an individual held before the spread of COVID-19 will constitute, in the vast majority of cases, suitable employment for purposes of unemployment insurance eligibility.
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Weekly Benefit Claim Requirements
Registering with the;state job service;and actively seeking work is a;requirement while collecting unemployment;in some locations. You must be ready, willing, available, and able to work. The job service may require job seekers to apply for jobs, submit resumes, and not turn down a position if it meets certain standards.
The Importance Of Your Unemployment Base Period
Unemployment insurance benefits are calculated for hours you work and income you earn in what is known as a base period. Literally defined, a base period is information used to base the amount of benefits you will receive.
In most instances, your base period is the most recent four out of the last five full calendar quarters before your claim is filed.
For example, if you file a claim in April 2016, the base period used to calculate eligibility would be January 2015 through December 2015.
| Date of Claim |
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If you don’t qualify for unemployment benefits based on a standard base period, many states have an alternate base period you can use to qualify. It is usually the four most recent calendar quarters before the claim is filed.
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Protect Yourself From Scams
IWD does not ask for unemployment insurance overpayments to be paid by credit card or gift cards. Individuals who have received an unemployment insurance overpayment will be notified by mail delivered by the U.S. Postal Service.
In addition, IWD does not request sensitive account information through email communications. Individuals filing for unemployment insurance benefits will receive pertinent information regarding their account through the U.S. Postal Service.
I Have To Complete My Application Over The Phone What Do I Need To Know
If anything went wrong or presented a complication with your online application, you may need to speak to a representative by phone. This is where many people have been running into challenges.
The state Labor Departments Telephone Claims Center number is 888-209-8124. It is staffed Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday, 7:30 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
If you are hearing impaired and being assisted by another person, call 888-783-1370. If you use TTY/TDD, call a relay operator first at 800-662-1220, and ask the operator to call the Telephone Claims Center at 888-783-1370.
The departments website notes that TCC staff cannot help you with issues related to your NY.gov account, such as difficulty logging in, changing your personal information or resetting your password. For help with your NY.gov account, call 800-833-3000.
Salk said that if your employer doesnt report employee wages to the state on the books or in the traditional way, youll need to talk to a representative in order to file.
People who dont speak English or Spanish also need to file their claim over the phone, since the online application is only in English or Spanish.
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What If I Dont Feel Safe Going Back To Work Will I Continue Receiving Unemployment Benefits
Not necessarily. General concern about exposure to COVID is not really enough to refuse a job and continue collecting unemployment benefits. But, according to the City Commission on Human Rights, if you have the virus, have been exposed to someone who has the virus or are recovering from the virus, you should be able to get accommodations like working a position with less exposure or different hours from your employer. This also applies to workers with underlying health conditions and workers who are pregnant.
Farrell Brody, a workers rights attorney at the nonprofit TakeRoot Justice, said ideally it should be pretty simple to ask your employer for accommodations under these new coronavirus-related guidelines.
You just say, I have an underlying condition, and I need this kind of accommodation, Brody said.
Segura adds that your employer is required by law to have a dialogue with you about what these accommodations may look like. She said its also helpful to have a doctors note explaining why youre at high-risk.
But if your employer refuses to budge, you may need to contact a lawyer. You can also file a complaint against your employer with the city for workplace discrimination, according to the Commission on Human Rights. Another option is to report your employer to the state Department of Labor.
How To File A Claim For Unemployment Benefits
The single most important thing to remember when dealing with unemployment insurance is to file a claim;as soon as possible;after you become unemployed.
Chances are you will be in an emotional state if your detachment was unexpected, and you may experience a sense of awkwardness in going from a gainfully employed person to one who is seeking help. But you need to set these feelings and emotions aside for your own good and file the necessary paperwork immediately to protect your financial well-being.
To file your claim, contact your state unemployment insurance agency. Claims can generally be filed online, although there are some instances where claims can be filed over the telephone or by mail. You may also have social security eligibility.
You should always file your unemployment benefits claim in the state where you worked. But if you no longer live in that state or you worked in several states, you should contact your current state unemployment agency for clarification on how to proceed.
You should have the following information available when you file your claim:
- Name, address, telephone
- Most recent employers Employer Registration number or Federal Employer Identification Number, if you have it.
Newly unemployed?
Several online serviceslike FlexJobs, 360training, or MyPerfectResumecan help you find work-from-home jobs, build a better resume, or earn training certifications.
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How Does Unemployment Tax Work For An Employer
In most cases, the employee does not pay into the system. The amount of unemployment tax an employer pays is based on the number of unemployment claims in the employers account. If the employer believes that an employee is not eligible for unemployment benefits, an employer may contest or challenge an employees claim for benefits. 2
The Current Political Context And Outlook
The $2.2 trillion emergency relief bill that President Donald Trump signed in March;reset some of the rules for unemployment benefits, expanding eligibility and ramping up payout amounts. The original CARES Act enhanced unemployment benefits;but has expired, however, and Congress still doesn’t have a plan for next steps. While you can still apply for unemployment benefits, the;extra $600 a week;won’t be included.
Even though there are talks of plans nearly every day, Congress is set to leave until after the election with no plan in place. States can continue their own unemployment policies as they see fit, which isn’t the same for everyone. Here’s what unemployment looks like.
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Is It Too Late To Apply For Unemployment Insurance
If you’ve been laid off or furloughed, you can apply for unemployment benefits in your state. Once the state approves your claim, you can apply to receive whatever state benefits you’re entitled to. Because states cover 30% to 50% of a person’s wages, there isn’t a single sum you could expect on a national basis. Each state’s;unemployment insurance office;provides information to file a claim with the program in the state where you worked. Some claims may be filed in person, by phone or online, so it’s best to contact your state’s office directly.
Eligibility criteria vary from state to state, but the general rule is that you should;apply;if you’ve lost your job or been laid off through no fault of your own, including if it was due directly or indirectly to the pandemic. You can check on your state’s requirements here. In February, the;Department of Labor;updated its unemployment eligibility requirements to include people who refused to return to work due to unsafe coronavirus standards.
As for self-employed workers and freelancers who are losing PUA coverage, some;online groups;are calling to extend pandemic unemployment programs through the crisis and offer more information.;
You might also want to know about the IRS issuing refunds to those who were;taxed on their 2020 unemployment benefits. And here’s an important primer on the 2021 enhanced;child tax credit, which is offering millions of families extra money in advance of next year’s taxes.
Unemployment Filing Failures: New Survey Confirms That Millions Of Jobless Were Unable To File An Unemployment Insurance Claim
Millions of the newly jobless are going without benefits as the unemployment system buckles under the weight of new claims, according to our new national survey, conducted in mid-April.
For every 10 people who said they successfully filed for unemployment benefits during the previous four weeks:
- Three to four additional people tried to apply but could not get through the system to make a claim.
- Two additional people did not try to apply because it was too difficult to do so.
These findings imply the official count of unemployment insurance claims likely drastically understates the extent of employment reductions and the need for economic relief during the coronavirus crisis. To quantify the undercount, we look at the 21.5 million workers who filed for unemployment benefits from March 22 to April 18. Our results suggest:
- An additional 7.8 to 12.2 million people could have filed for benefits had the process been easier.
- After accounting for these workerswho applied but could not get through or did not try because of the difficult processabout half of potential UI applicants are actually receiving benefits.
When we extrapolate our survey findings to the full five weeks of UI claims since March 15, we estimate that an additional 8.913.9 million people could have filed for benefits had the process been easier.
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What To Do If Your Claim Is Denied
After you file for unemployment, the state may accept your claim, and youll receive your benefits. But what if youre denied benefits or the state asks you to provide additional information? You can;file an unemployment appeal;and explain your situation in a hearing.
The state unemployment office will typically send you a letter that will list the date and time of your hearing. These hearings are generally conducted over the phone.;
