How Do I Get My Benefits
Two ways to apply
WARNING: Use of a Virtual Private Network , proxy, or internet anonymizer service will cause problems with your ability to apply or certify for benefits. Turn these services off before applying or submitting a weekly certification.
It is best to apply for unemployment insurance online in the hours of 7:30AM – 7:30PM.
- Telephone filing hours are as follows:
- Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm.
If you file by phone, we offer translation services. Use your phone keypad to enter the number for the language you choose. A voice recording will offer you these choices: English, Spanish, Russian, Cantonese, Mandarin, Creole, Korean, Polish, All other languages
Hearing Impaired
Have your helper call the Telephone Claims Center at 1-888-783-1370.
TTY/TDD
For more information, see our fact sheet: Helping a Claimant with Unemployment Insurance.
NY State Unemployment processes most claims with out any issues. Generally, Unemployment Insurance will pay your first payment in two to three weeks. Some claims however, will require a Claim Review to collect information needed to process the claim. If contacted, you should respond to all questions, surveys, messages, or phone calls as quickly as possible. Failure to do so will delay your claim or could result in denial of benefits.
New York Department Of Labor Sued Over Failure To Release Unemployment Insurance Information
Gov. Hochul presents data
An advocacy group for low-income communities is suing New York State for documents and data that could shed light on the struggle of non-English speakers to get unemployment insurance during the pandemic.
The National Center for Law and Economic Justice , a legal advocacy organization, filed a lawsuit in New York State Supreme Court last week against the state Department of Labor for documents the group requested under the state Freedom of Information Law. According to NCLEJ, workers who don’t speak English as a first language have faced barriers to accessing state and federal unemployment payments throughout the pandemic, including limited translation services. Its lawyers are seeking documentation of the policies and procedures the Department of Labor instituted to assist non-English-speakers and data on claims filed by people with language access needs.
“We have all of these very, very troubling anecdotes and we want to get a better picture of what are the agencys policies, what were they actually doing, how much of this was agency oversight and how much of it was the result of actual documented policies? We just don’t know,” said Katharine Deabler-Meadows, the NCLEJ staff attorney who filed the suit. She described applicants who could not reach a DOL representative that spoke their language, workers being sent notices in the wrong language, and delays in translating important information on DOL’s website.
How Do Unemployment Benefits Work In New York
Unemployment insurance is a joint program between the federal and state governments intended to provide out-of-work Americans with financial support until they can find a new job. Like all other states, New York makes its own rules for administering its unemployment insurance benefits program but follows guidelines set by federal law.
The New York State Department of Labor oversees unemployment benefits in the state. The easiest way to file a new unemployment claim is through the agencys online system, but you can also file by calling its claim center.
Typically, New York state law allows eligible residents who are unemployed through no fault of their own to receive weekly unemployment benefits for up to 26 weeks during a one-year period. However, states may choose to revise their benefits in times of economic crisis, and the federal government may help fund extended state benefits during such times.
Employers pay for benefits in New York, not workers. But the department of labor determines whether youre eligible to receive benefits.
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After You Have Registered
- We assign each liable employer an eight-digit employer registration number. Please use your registration number on all correspondence, quarterly returns and payments that you send to us.
- If you are liable for Unemployment Insurance, you must electronically submit a Quarterly Combined Withholding, Wage Reporting and Unemployment Insurance Return . File the NYS-45 online by visiting the Department of Taxation and Finance website. For more information, call 899-8810.
- You will receive a poster Notice to Employees that tells your employees their jobs may be covered for unemployment insurance. You must display the poster at each of your business locations, where your employees can easily see it. Call 899-8810 for more copies.
New York May Not Repay Its Ui Debt Until 2027 Being Potentially In Debt At The Start Of The Next Recession
New Yorks UI Trust Fund likely will return to a positive balance in 2027, based on CBCs analysis of past average UI tax rates and benefit payments, coupled with projected employment and personal income growth.21 Since New York States average economic expansion has been just under six years since 1975, the State may well enter the next recession with either a negative or low balance in its Trust Fund. This would lead to another cycle of borrowing from the federal government to meet rising UI claims.22
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Amount And Duration Of Nys Unemployment Benefits
The New York State Department of Labor determines your weekly unemployment benefit amount by dividing your earnings for the highest paid quarter of the base period by 26, up to a maximum of $504 per week.
Benefits are available for up to 26 weeks. If you are still unemployed when your regular state benefits run out, you may be eligible for Emergency Unemployment Compensation and/or state extended benefits during periods of economic recession or high unemployment. Contact NYSDOL to find out which programs are in place when you apply for benefits.
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Unemployment Insurance Claimant Advocate Office
The Claimant Advocate Office operates within the Department of Labors Unemployment Insurance Division, separate from the Telephone Claims Center . Advocates provide free, impartial and confidential services that help claimants, particularly those with limited English proficiency or other barriers, understand their rights and responsibilities under Unemployment Insurance Law.
New York State Department of Labor, P.O. Box 15130, Albany, NY 12212-5130
Fax:
457-9378. Be sure that your Social Security number appears at the top right hand corner on all pages. Save your fax confirmation sheet as we do not confirm the receipt of a fax or written correspondence.
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Liability Conditions By Business Type
General Business
General business employers are liable on:
- The first day of the calendar quarter you pay remuneration of $300 or more, – or –
- The day you obtain any or all of the business of a liable employer
Non-Profit Employers
Non-profit employers are liable:
- On the first day of the calendar quarter you pay remuneration of $1,000 or more, – or –
- As of the first day of the calendar year you employ four or more workers on at least one day in each of 20 different weeks during that year or the prior calendar year
Household Employers
Employers of household help are liable the first day of any calendar quarter you pay remuneration of $500 or more.
Agricultural Employers
Effective January 1, 2020, employers of agricultural labor are liable as of:
- The first day of any calendar quarter after January 1, 2020 in which you pay remuneration of $300 or more, – or –
- The day you obtain any or all of the business of a liable employer
Note: If you have questions about liability prior to January 1, 2020, call the Employer Hotline at 888-899-8810.
Government Employers
Government employers are liable the first day of the calendar quarter you pay remuneration to employees in covered employment. It does not matter how much remuneration you pay or the number of employees.
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New York Made $11b In Improper Unemployment Payments During Covid
The report Tuesday examined claims made through the state Department of Labors unemployment insurance system from January 2020 to March 2022.
Pedestrians pass an office location for the New York State Department of Labor Thursday, June 11, 2020, in Queens. A state report Tuesday found $11 billion in improper unemployment payment during the pandemic. | Frank Franklin II/AP Photo
11/15/2022 05:32 PM EST
ALBANY, N.Y. New Yorks outdated unemployment insurance system likely contributed to at least $11 billion in improper payments during the Covid-19 pandemic, an audit from state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli found.
The report Tuesday examined claims made through the state Department of Labors unemployment insurance system from January 2020 to March 2022 a period in which applications skyrocketed due to pandemic-related job losses. It found that the states failure to replace the outdated system as long advised, coupled with ad hoc workarounds, led to weakened oversight and ultimately contributed to an estimated billions of dollars in improper payments.
The flood of unemployment claims was unprecedented, leading to fraud and abuse and an overwhelmed agency, DiNapoli said. The state made 218 million unemployment payments from April 1, 2020, through March 31, 2021, which totaled $76.3 billion, an increase of nearly 3,140 percent over the prior fiscal year. In April 2020, New Yorks unemployment rate peaked at 16.2 percent.
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Dinapoli: Problems Caused By Outdated System Left State’s Unemployment Insurance Program Vulnerable To Fraud
The state Department of Labors failure to replace its long-troubled Unemployment Insurance system and ad hoc workarounds to compensate for the old system weakened oversight and ultimately contributed to an estimated billions of dollars in improper payments during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to an audit released today by State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli. DOL refused to provide auditors with the data that would have enabled auditors to calculate the precise amount of improper payments and was slow to provide requested information that delayed the completion of the audit. The audit examined the period from Jan. 2020 to March 2022.
The state Department of Labors antiquated UI system was ill-equipped to handle the challenges posed by the extraordinary demand caused by the pandemic for unemployment benefits and more lenient federal eligibility requirements, DiNapoli said. The agency resorted to stop-gap measures to paper over problems, and this proved to be costly to the state, businesses, and New Yorkers. DiNapoli said. The department needs to recoup fraudulent payments and correct its mistakes. I was pleased the department agreed with our recommendations and is moving to implement them.
- The number of claims that were paid to fraudulent claimants before being detected
- The length of time from when claims were filed to when they were identified as fraudulent and
- How the claims were identified as fraudulent .
The audit recommended DOL:
Audit
Balance Remains High Despite Recovery And Increased Ui Tax Collections
New Yorks ability to repay the federal loan is directly tied to the strength of its economic recovery and the tax rates levied on employers. State UI tax rates vary based on employers payroll, UI benefits paid to former employees and the size of the State UI fund balance. Collections of UI taxes are deposited to the States fund for the payment of benefits. Although unemployment decreased dramatically in 2021, total benefit payments remained greater than total UI tax collections, contributing to the persistently high balance in New Yorks outstanding loan.
Fewer Unemployed Individuals, Claims and Benefits Paid
Greater UI Tax Collections
State UI tax rates increased in 2021 from the prior year combined with employment growth, these increases have bolstered tax collections by more than 54 percent from $2.1 billion in 2020 to $3.2 billion in 2021. These revenues are used to fund benefit payments and pay down outstanding balances.7
New Yorks large repayments in May 2022, however, indicate greater movement towards paying down its current advance. If the overall trend of decreasing UI benefit payments continues, or such payments remain at recent levels, and UI tax collections continue to increase , New York will be able to continue taking fewer advances and making larger repayments.
FIGURE 2: New Yorks UI Experience During the COVID-19 Pandemic
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Can I Appeal The Overpayment Determination
If you disagree with the overpayment determination or waiver denial, you have the right to request a hearing. The hearing will be conducted by an impartial judge who is employed by the Unemployment Insurance Appeal Board. If you are present at the hearing and lose all or part of the case, you may file an appeal to the Appeal Board. If the Appeal Board does not rule in your favor, you have 30 days from the date of the Appeal Boards decision to apply to the Appeal Board for a reconsideration of the decision, or appeal to the Appellate Division of the State Supreme Court, Third Department.
We will not try to collect payments from you while your appeal is in progress. Any payment you made will be refunded if you are found eligible for benefits.
For more information on how to request a hearing, visit .
New York Launches Unemployment Fraud Crackdown
New York is launching an effort to curtail unemployment insurance scams following an investigation that found $11 million in fraudulent benefit payments made last month, Gov. Kathy Hochul on Monday said.
The scale and scope of the fraudulent benefits underscores the massive amount of money sent out the door meant to help people during the initial months of the COVID pandemic. A record $19 billion was spent amid a spike in joblessness during the initial closure of business, schools and other public gathering spaces.
“At the height of the pandemic, when our state experienced an unprecedented unemployment crisis, these fraudulent unemployment insurance claims took resources away from New Yorkers who needed them most,” Hochul said. “My administration is taking action to step up our investigations of unemployment insurance fraud, hold those who take advantage of the system accountable, and protect this crucial benefit for New Yorkers in need.”
The benefits, investigators found, were paid almost entirely to people who were working while also collecting benefits during the pandemic.
State officials are trying to recoup those benefits and refer non-payment to law enforcement. The state Department of Labor is expected to uncover $110 million in total fraud payments this year.
New York is currently in the middle of a four-year plan to overhaul the customer service and anti-fraud effort at the Department of Labor.
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âI find it ironic that this audit was released a week after New Yorkers headed to the polls in an election that was among the closest in New Yorkâs recent history,â Tenney, R-Canandaigua, said. âJust as concerning is that the report found at least $11 billion in COVID-19 unemployment insurance fraud.
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Unemployment Insurance Is A State
The U.S. unemployment insurance system is a partnership between states and the federal government. The U.S. Department of the Treasury sets the minimum benefit level and duration, while state governments establish specific design parameters, such as income replacement rates, and administer the UI systems.3
The Treasury holds a UI account in trust for each state, funded by a combination of state and federal taxes on employers. Each state sets its own UI tax rates, with revenues deposited into its trust fund account. While the federal tax rate is technically 6 percent on the first $7,000 of annual wages per employee, it is usually lowered by a federal unemployment tax credit. States without outstanding debt owed to the federal government have a net effective federal tax rate 0.6 percent, while those with a balance face a higher rate.4
If a states UI trust fund is depleted during periods of high claims, the Treasury provides a loan to cover benefit payments. The federal government may charge interest on UI loans if they are not repaid by the end of the federal fiscal year in which they were obtained, though these rules may be suspended during recessions and emergencies. A negative balance in a states trust fund, however, generally increases state and federal tax UI rates until it is paid off.5
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What You Need To Know
Important Update: As of September 5, 2021, several federal unemployment benefit programs, including PUA, PEUC, EB, and FPUC, have expired, per federal law. For more information, visit dol.ny.gov/fedexp.
- To collect regular unemployment insurance benefits, you must be ready, willing, and able to work.
- Anyone calling from DOL will verify their identity by providing: the date you filed your application and the type of claim.
- You will receive all benefits you are entitled to, including any backdated payments you are due.
-
If you are eligible, your first payment will generally be made in two to three weeks from the time your claim is completed and processed. In some cases, we must get additional information before payment can be made and your first payment may take longer. We use this time to review and process your application for benefits. You will not receive benefits during this period. This is why you may see your claim status as pending.
- New Yorkers who are receiving Unemployment Insurance benefits are eligible for up to 26 weeks of benefits.
Reemployct: Connecticuts New Tax And Benefits System
The ReEmployCT tax and benefit system makes filing easier for claimants. The new system features:
- A single sign on: you don’t need separate passwords to file claims and update your account
- Direct connections to job boards and job-search help
- Easy account updates, including changing your mailing address
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