How to File a Claim Under the Shared Work Program

Employees participate in the plan if they qualify to receive regular UI benefits in New York State.

Employees covered under the plan:

• May receive up to 26 times their regular weekly benefit rate during a benefit year
• May not receive more in a benefit year from Shared Work benefits combined with regular UI benefits than they would receive under the regular UI program alone (26 times regular benefit rate)
• Must be fully available for work for the Shared Work employer, but are not required to look for other work
• Will reduce the amount of Shared Work benefits that they are eligible for if they work with a different employer or have self-employment
• Are not eligible for Shared Work benefits in any week in which they receive supplemental unemployment compensation benefits (SUB pay)

Frequently Asked Questions

Participating employees must file UI Shared Work claims between the Monday and Sunday of their first reduced shared workweek by:

• Going online at Online Services for Individuals between the hours of 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday (Eastern Time), 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Friday, all day Saturday, and Sunday until 7:00 p.m. or
• Calling 1-888-209-8124 during the hours of operation: Monday through Friday, 8 am to 5 pm.

Claims can be filed online or by telephone in English or Spanish. If translation services for languages other than Spanish are needed, the employee can call (518) 485-6375.

Filing a claim online has multiple benefits. The processing of the claim is expedited and direct deposit of benefits into the claimant's personal checking account is an option. This option is only available to claimants who file their claims online.

Each week that employees participate in Shared Work, they must claim (certify) for their Shared Work benefits online at Online Services for Individuals. 

Claimants who do not choose to have their benefits deposited into their personal checking accounts will be issued debit cards for their benefit payments.  The cards can be used to withdraw benefits at ATMs and MasterCard affiliated banks.  The cards also allow claimants to spend their benefits directly at retail Point-of-Sale locations.

The Shared Work weekly amount is the employee's weekly unemployment benefit rate multiplied by the percentage that the plan reduces their hours and wages.

File A shared work claim

Each week that employees participate in Shared Work, they must claim (certify) for their Shared Work benefits online at Online Services for Individuals. 

Claimants who do not choose to have their benefits deposited into their personal checking accounts will be issued debit cards for their benefit payments.  The cards can be used to withdraw benefits at ATMs and MasterCard affiliated banks.  The cards also allow claimants to spend their benefits directly at retail Point-of-Sale locations.

The Shared Work weekly amount is the employee's weekly unemployment benefit rate multiplied by the percentage that the plan reduces their hours and wages.