After You've Filed For Unemployment Frequently Asked Questions

File your claim during your first week of total or partial unemployment. If you wait, you may lose benefits. You may not file for a week when you work more than 30 hours or earn more than the maximum benefit rate gross pay between Monday and Sunday. You must wait until the next Monday to file, if you are still unemployed.

To request credit for a period for which you did not file a valid claim, write to:
New York State Department of Labor
Central Support Unit
P.O. Box 15130
Albany, New York 12212
Your letter should include your:

• Name
• Address
• Phone number
• Social Security number
• Dates for which you request credit
• Reason why you did not file a claim at that time

We will investigate and decide if you qualify for benefits.

After you file your claim, we will send you a Monetary Determination. This letter shows your base period and the employers and wages used to determine if you have enough earnings to establish a claim. Review this form for accuracy. Be sure you agree with the amount of earnings reported. Check the list for all your employers. Do not return this form. Keep it for your personal records. NOTE: The Wage Reporting System does not show wages earned:

• With the federal government
• In a branch of military service or
• For work done outside of New York State

Thus, the initial Monetary Determination may not list them. If we fail to list an employer, job or earnings, fill out a Request for Reconsideration (found in the claimant handbook). We will use those wages to calculate your correct benefit rate.

If you qualify, the Monetary Determination will show your weekly benefit rate. You use the Request for Reconsideration form only if:

• The wages shown on the form are wrong; or
• Your employment and earnings are missing from the base period.

Be sure to include proof of your employment and wages, such as a copy of pay stubs that total the amount of earnings you list on the form for the time in question.

If you have no pay stubs:

Send any documents you may have that we can use as proof
OR
Explain why you have no proof of earnings (for instance, you were paid in cash or "off the books").

If the information shown on the Monetary Determination is correct, you do not need to take any action.

If you do not qualify, the Monetary Determination will explain why. Check that the Monetary Determination form is correct. Fill out the Request for Reconsideration if:

• The wages shown on the form are wrong; or
• Your employment and earnings are missing.

Send correct wage information for all four Basic Base Period Quarters and the Alternate Quarter. To speed up the review of your claim, be sure to include proof of your employment and wages, such as pay stubs that total the amount of earnings you list on the form for the time in question.

If you have no pay stubs:

Send any documents you may have that we can use as proof
OR
Explain why you have no proof of earnings.

You may read and print the UI Claimant Handbook.

We will review your Monetary Determination based on the proof you submit. We may contact your base period employer(s) to verify the wages paid to you in that time. If your benefit rate changes, we will mail you a revised Monetary Determination.

We process your request and set a hearing date if: 

• The review does not change your benefit rate; and
• Your rate is less than the maximum rate.

It is important to keep pay stubs and other proof of wages from your base period. This helps you provide an accurate estimate. Wages include the dollar value of:
Tips;

• Bonuses;
• Meals and lodging;
• Commissions; and
• Vacation and holiday pay.

You should complete the Request for Alternate Base Period form only
IF
You already have a benefit rate using the Basic Base Period
BUT
Your "high quarter" wages are in the Alternate Base Period quarter
AND
You wish to request a rate based on the Alternate Base Period wages.
(See your Monetary Determination for specific dates and wages.)
 

There is a deadline for us to consider you for the Alternate Base Period. Fill out the Request for Alternate Base Period form. The Department of Labor must receive your completed form within 10 days from the "Date Mailed" on the Monetary Determination.

Once wages are "used," they cannot be included in a future claim. If you choose to use the Alternate Base Period wages, you will not be able to use this employment and wages again. This may affect your entitlement to a later claim.

You should begin receiving a higher weekly benefit when you certify for weeks of unemployment. Additionally, you may be entitled to receive back payments for weeks you were previously paid at the lower weekly benefit rate. If you have not received your back payments within three weeks of receiving a notice from the DOL that your weekly benefit rate was increased, you can let us know by sending a message through the secure messaging system in your online account or by calling us at 888-209-8124.

To contact us about your increased benefit rate through our online system, log in to labor.ny.gov/signin with your NY.gov username and password. Select “Go to My Inbox” and then “Compose New.” Select “Payments Due After Benefit Rate Increase” for the subject line, compose your message with the dates you would like investigated, and then click “Send."

If you have not received your back payments within three weeks of receiving a notice from the DOL that your weekly benefit rate was increased, you can let us know by sending a message through the secure messaging system in your online account or by calling us at 888-209-6851.

To contact us about your increased benefit rate through our online system, log in to labor.ny.gov/signin with your NY.gov username and password. Select “Go to My Inbox” and then “Compose New.” Select “Payments Due After Benefit Rate Increase” for the subject line, compose your message with the dates you would like investigated, and then click “Send.”

Please wait at least three weeks before reaching out because your payment may still be in process.  If you do not receive your payment, you can let us know by sending a message through the secure messaging system in your online account or by calling us at 888-209-8124.

To contact us about your increased benefit rate through our online system, log in to labor.ny.gov/signin with your NY.gov username and password. Select “Go to My Inbox” and then “Compose New.” Select “Payments Due After Benefit Rate Increase” for the subject line, compose your message with the dates you would like investigated, and then click “Send.”

For each week you wish to receive benefits, you must request payment by claiming benefits for that week.
Before we can pay any benefits, you must serve an unpaid waiting period. This equals one full week of unemployment benefits. You must claim credit for your waiting week during the period that:

• Begins on the first Sunday after you file your claim and
• Ends the next Saturday

The waiting period extends into the next week if you:

• Work at all during the week in which you filed your claim or
• Do not serve a full waiting period for other reasons

Each week that you are unemployed, you must certify that you are eligible for payment if you want to receive unemployment benefits. Be very careful in reading questions and in answering truthfully. You certify that weekly claim on Sunday, for the week ending that day.

See the Guide for Claiming Weekly Unemployment Insurance Benefits Fact Sheet
WARNING: Use of a Virtual Private Network (VPN) or internet anonymizer service may cause problems with your ability to file or certify for benefits. Turn these services off before accessing online services.
You may claim your weekly unemployment benefits:

• On the web with your NY.gov ID
• Call Tel-Service at 888-581-5812, using a touch-tone phone. 

Both systems are available in English and Spanish. The Tel-Service system is also available in other languages, including Haitian-Creole, Russian, Cantonese, Mandarin, Korean, Polish, Bengali, Arabic, French, Italian, Hindi, Vietnamese, Urdu, Nepali and Tagalog.
If you use TTY/TDD equipment, call a relay operator first at 800-662-1220, and ask the operator to call the Telephone Claims Center at 888-783-1370.
If you are claiming weekly benefits online, you may do so:

• Beginning Sunday - all day
• Monday through Friday - 7:30 a.m. to midnight
• Saturday - all day

An unemployment week runs Monday through Sunday. If you wish to claim benefits for a week of unemployment, you have from the Sunday date at the end of that week through the next Saturday to do so.
The first week of your claim is a waiting period and is not paid.  Remember, you must claim benefits for each week and get credit.
When you claim weekly benefits, you must answer questions to certify how many hours you were ready, willing and able to work during the past week. The certification system only handles certification for one week at a time.
You cannot claim for a given week more than a week later either online or using Tel-Service. The system will not accept certifications for any back weeks or other periods of time. If you miss claiming benefits for a week during which you were unemployed, you can request credit for this week by secure message, fax or regular mail. Do not call the Telephone Claims Center to request back credit for a week.
To submit a request by secure message, sign in to your account at https://apps.labor.ny.gov/IndividualReg/  and click on the envelope icon on the My online Services page. To fax your request, send to (518) 457-9378.
By mail, send to:
New York State Department of Labor
PO Box 15130
Albany, NY 12212-5130

Be sure to include the beginning and ending dates of the time period for which you did not claim benefits and the reason you did not claim benefits promptly in your request. Also, include the last four digits of your Social Security number on the upper right corner.
We will review your request and decide if you are eligible to receive benefits for that time period. This review can take two to three weeks, unless we need more information. In that case, it may take longer. During this time, be sure to continue claiming benefits for all weeks you are unemployed and eligible for benefits. If we write or call you to request more information, please respond promptly so the review is not delayed.
When you use the phone or online systems to claim your weekly benefits, you must certify for yourself. Having someone else claim your weekly benefits for you is a serious offense. It can lead to severe penalties, including criminal prosecution and jail time.

NYS DOL’s new partial unemployment system uses an “hours-based” approach. Under the new approach, claimants can claim partial unemployment for a week if they work 30 hours or fewer and earn less than maximum benefit rate in gross pay excluding earnings from self-employment. With this change, claimants’ benefits will not be reduced for each day they engage in part-time work and will be reduced in increments based on total hours of work for the week.
Partial benefits are available as follows:

• 0 – 10 hours of work (equivalent to 0 days worked): 100% of weekly benefit rate
• 11 – 16 hours of work (equivalent to 1 day worked): 75% of weekly benefit rate
• 17 – 21 hours of work (equivalent to 2 days worked): 50% of weekly benefit rate
• 22 – 30 hours of work (equivalent to 3 days worked): 25% of weekly benefit rate
• 31+ hours of work (equivalent to 4 days worked): 0% of weekly benefit rate

If you earn more than the maximum benefit rate in any week, no matter how many hours you worked, you cannot receive benefits for that week.

Please note: If you are certifying for benefit weeks prior to August 16, 2021, you must use the prior guidelines, which can be found at on.ny.gov/partialui. 

Yes, if you work 30 hours or fewer in a week and earn less than the maximum benefit rate, you may receive partial UI. When you file your UI claim:

• You will be asked to enter the date of your last day worked. Enter the last day you worked physically reported to work, regardless of whether this was your part-time or full-time work.
• You will also be asked to enter information about your last or most recent employer. The last or most recent employer is where you most recently reported to work, regardless of whether this was your part-time or full-time employer. If it was your part-time employer, and you will continue to work part-time, enter "lack of work" as the reason for separation.

Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) are not like the Paycheck Protection Program because they do not have to be used for payroll. Therefore, you may be able to receive both an EIDL and unemployment insurance or pandemic unemployment assistance benefits.
If you are receiving an Economic Injury Disaster Loan, please note:

• The time spent applying for EIDL or taking care of other business matters is considered work, and you should not claim benefits for those hours.
• If you do use the EIDL for one week's payroll, you will not be entitled to unemployment benefits for that week. If you are still unemployed the next week, you can continue claiming.
• If you use the EIDL for something other than payroll (e.g., paying other business expenses like bills), you may have partial eligibility for that week. Because any time you spend taking care of business matters is considered work, you can only claim for benefits for hours you do not take those actions.

We consider you employed in any week when you perform any services for more than four hours total, whether this work is:

• An hour or less in self-employment
• On a free-lance basis or
• For someone else

It makes no difference whether this work is covered employment or whether you are paid for that day. For example, work on a straight commission basis is still work. It does not matter that you may not receive the commission until sometime later. It also does not matter if you have not made any sales or received any compensation.
You must report all of the work you do, whether it is for:

• Yourself
• A friend
• A relative or
• An employer

You must report any activity that brings in or may bring in income at any time.
If you are:

• Doing freelance work
• Self-employed
• Starting a business or
• Doing "favors" for another business

Call the Telephone Claim Center and give all the details before you claim your weekly benefits.

You must report any activity that brings in or may bring in income at any time. If you are:

• Doing freelance work
• Self-employed
• Starting a business or
• Doing "favors" for another business

call the Telephone Claim Center and give all the details before you claim your weekly benefits.

Tell the Telephone Claims Center before you take any steps to start a business. Unless you are part of the Self-Employment Assistance Program (SEAP), these activities may result in the loss of unemployment insurance benefits. See more information on SEAP. The Department of Labor considers you employed if you operate or start a business:

• By yourself
• With a partner, or
• In a corporate arrangement
• If you spend time during the day or evening or on weekends getting ready to start or actually operating a business, we may consider that as work. It does not matter if you have not made any sales or received any compensation.

We issue payments through:
A debit card
OR
Direct deposit into your checking account

Debit Card
The debit card lets you withdraw your benefits via an ATM or at a Point-of-Sale terminal. Debit cards are safer than checks. Only the Department of Labor can deposit money into the debit card account. For details, visit our Debit Card for Unemployment Insurance Benefits page. The debit card provided by the Department is free. We encourage you to avoid using third-party debit cards typically purchased at stores.
Direct Deposit
You may choose to have your weekly benefits electronically transferred into your checking account, if your bank has a direct deposit program. For details, visit our Direct Deposit Information page.

Do not respond to emails or text messages from unknown sources that ask you to disclose personal information, such as your:

• Social Security number
• Debit card number
• Direct deposit bank account number
• PIN number

This is a clear mark of potential fraud. NOTE: The Department of Labor may use DocuSign, emails and texts to communicate with you about the status of your claim. These communications will be clearly labeled as being sent from the Department of Labor. See the DocuSign FAQs.
If you think someone has compromised your account, contact:

• Your bank (for direct deposit), or
• Way2Go Program Customer Service Line (for debit cards) at (844) 649-9845

Never tell anyone your PIN or write your PIN down where others can see it. As a safety measure, we also recommend that you reset your PIN often. You should also reset your PIN any time you think someone else knows it. To change your PIN, call the Telephone Claims Center at (888) 209-8124 and follow the menu options to change your PIN. You may need to speak with a representative. Call during the hours of operation: Monday through Friday, 8 am to 5 pm.

First, see if we have released your benefit payment. Then, check to see if we deposited your benefit payment into your checking account or your debit card account.
For debit card users:
To find out if we have released a payment, log in with your NY.gov ID click on 'Unemployment Services'. Then, click on 'View Payment History.'
If we have released the payment:m check your debit card account by going to GoProgram.com, using the Way2Go Card mobile app, or calling the Way2Go Program Customer Service Line at (844) 649-9845

You will need your PIN.
For direct deposit users:
To find out if we have released a payment, log in with your NY.gov ID and click on 'Unemployment Services'. Then, click on 'View Payment History.'
If we have released the payment, check with your bank three business days after the payment release date to see if the payment is in your checking account.
If there is a problem on your claim, the Telephone Claims Center may contact you. Follow the directions they give you. If we have not credited your payment and the Telephone Claims Center has not contacted you in two weeks, you should call the Telephone Claims Center.

If your address or phone number changes, you must update your contact information with the Department of Labor. Your benefits may be late if you do not answer letters mailed to your address on record or do not report to an appointment.

The easiest way to update your address and/or telephone number is online. You can do this when you claim your weekly benefits.
You must also contact your bank (for direct deposit) to update your contact information.

You must be ready to accept "suitable" work while you collect benefits. Suitable work is work that you can reasonably do through your past training and experience. This means that you have to look for work in all your most recent occupations, especially if the chance of getting work in your primary skill area is not good. After you have claimed 10 full weeks of benefits, suitable work also includes:

• Any work that you can do, even if you have no experience or training in such work; unless you are hired through a union hiring hall or have a definite date to return to work.
• Such work must pay at least 80% of your high-quarter base-period wages. Any work offered must pay the prevailing wage for such work. See Prevailing Unemployment Insurance Rates.
• You must also be willing to travel a reasonable distance to get work. As a rule, we consider a reasonable distance to be travel of:
  • One hour by private transportation, or
  • One and one-half hours by public transportation.

Yes. If you are required to file a tax return, your unemployment compensation is subject to these taxes:

• Federal
• New York State
• Local

It is your choice to withhold benefits for federal income tax or state income tax. You can choose to have 10% withheld from your weekly benefit payments for federal income tax. You can also choose to have 2.5% withheld for state income tax. We withhold this money only after we make other mandatory deductions, such as child support payments.

You can change your withholding options any time:
Log in with your NY.gov ID
THEN
Click Unemployment Benefits, then "Payment and Tax Withholding Options,"
THEN
Click "Tax Withholding,"
AND
Follow the instructions.

ou can start or stop the withholding of federal or state tax from your weekly benefits any time: Log in with your NY.gov ID

THEN
Click Unemployment Benefits, then "Payment and Tax Withholding Options,"
THEN
Click "Tax Withholding,"
AND
Follow the instructions.
You can contact the Telephone Claims Center:
(888) 209-8124 (toll-free). Call during the hours of operation: Monday through Friday, 8 am to 6 pm.
Select option 5: "To speak to a representative about a claim you have already filed"
ENTER
Your Social Security number and PIN
THEN
Select option number 3, "To begin or cancel the withholding of federal income tax from your benefits"
OR
SELECT option 4 "To begin or cancel the withholding of state income tax from your benefits"

In January, you will be able to view and print out a Statement for Recipients of Certain Government Payments (Form 1099-G) for claimants who received benefits during the previous calendar year. Because of this, you must tell the Telephone Claims Center of your current address.

Please keep the Form 1099-G for your records. The information on your benefit statement is also provided to:

• The Internal Revenue Service
• The New York State Department of Taxation and Finance

Unemployment compensation includes:

• Unemployment insurance payments
• Extended benefits and Federal Supplemental Compensation
• Trade Adjustment Act basic, retroactive, and training payments
• Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) payments

If you did not receive any compensation during the previous calendar year, but repaid an overpayment of benefits, you will be able to view and print out the Form 1099-G. The information may help you to file your return.