New York State Unemployment Insurance

If you live in New York State and you've recently become unemployed, New York State unemployment insurance benefits are available to help you make ends meet while you are looking for work.

Employment Insurance

Understanding New York State Unemployment Insurance

Unemployment insurance benefits in New York are covered by taxes that all employers pay to the state. These taxes provide all the funds that pay out benefits to unemployed workers throughout the state. When a worker becomes unemployed due to cutbacks, layoffs or any other reason that is not the fault of the employee, then that employee could potentially qualify for New York State unemployment benefits.

Do I Qualify For Unemployment Benefits?

Various states use different criteria to determine whether your status was "employee" before you lost your job. In order to qualify for benefits in New York, you have to earned at least $300 in a single quarter. Criteria that the state uses to determine whether you're eligible for unemployment benefits includes the following items:

• Were you recently employed, earning at least $300 in a quarter
• Is it your fault you're unemployed? If you were fired for reasons related to misconduct, you may not qualify. However, if you were let go related to company cutbacks, then you may be eligible for benefits.
• Do you respond to queries? When you receive benefits, the State expects constant feedback in order to remain eligible. The state wants to know if you're performing any other part-time work, whether you are job hunting, and what job offers or refusals you've received.
• If you work part-time, do you earn less than the allowed level to receive unemployment benefits?

How to Apply For Unemployment Insurance Benefits

Many people are nervous when it comes to applying for any form of State benefits. The process can feel overwhelming. However, if you gather together the information that you need beforehand you can smoothly navigate the application process and start receiving your unemployment checks as soon as possible.

Personal Information

Just as with any other State or Federal form, you're going to need to provide information that identifies that you really are who you say you are. The information you'll be asked for includes:

• Social Security number or Alien registration card
• Drivers license or other form of valid photo identification
• Your address and daytime telephone number

If you have all of this information handy when you fill out the online unemployment application form, you'll be able to sail through it much more quickly than if you don't have the information available.

Employer Information

In addition to information about yourself, you'll need to identify who your former employer or employers were. New York wants to know all of the employers you worked for over the past 18 months. The form specifically asks for the following information:

• Make sure to find the tax number of your former employers. This number, known as the Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN), is printed on the W-2 forms you receive each year just before tax time.
• If you were a federal employee, locate SF8 and SF50 forms for the employer identification number.
• If you were formerly employed by the military, you'll need to provide the state with your separation form (known as the DD 214).

Providing employer information allows the state to not only verify that you were legitimately employed by these employers, but also assists the state in identifying which company's unemployment benefits are being tapped into so that you can receive your benefits. The state calculates taxes paid versus benefits drawn for each employer. This information is important for a number of reasons, not only to verify your former employment.

Fault For Unemployment

Finally, you will need to have some way to show that it's not your fault that you're unemployed. For example, people who decide to quit their job, or people who are fired for negligence, would not qualify for unemployment benefits. This is why it's important to keep track of any termination or layoff slip that you received. A severance package may also contain this information, and the state will need to know the terms of your severance anyway. Providing all of this information to the state can cut down on the number of follow-up questions that the state will need to ask, and it will greatly streamline the application process.

What To Expect

Once you've been approved for New York State unemployment insurance benefits, it's important to respond promptly to any questions or correspondence you receive. Failing to respond in a reasonable time can prematurely end your benefits. Also, keep in mind that unemployment benefits are established as a way to give workers a "safe" period where they can look for work without worrying so much about lack of income. Unlike with disability insurance, these benefits are temporary. In the State of New York, the benefit year starts from the "effective date of a valid claim," and ends 53 weeks later. During this time, it's important to continue actively looking for another job while providing the state with frequent evidence that you are doing so.

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