Am I Eligible For Regular Unemployment Compensation
Each state sets its own unemployment insurance benefits eligibility guidelines, but you usually qualify if you:
- Are unemployed through no fault of your own. In most states, this means you have to have separated from your last job due to a lack of available work.
- Meet work and wage requirements. You must meet your states requirements for wages earned or time worked during an established period of time referred to as a “base period.”
- Meet any additional state requirements. Find details of your own states program.
New York Seeking To Recoup More Than $114 Million In Unemployment Benefits Doled Out To ‘ineligible’ Recipients
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ALBANY The state Department of Labor last year distributed more than $114 million in unemployment and federal relief benefits to New Yorkers ineligible to receive the money most of it between July and December, when the coronavirus pandemic had pushed millions of people out of work.
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The most significant overpayments were logged in the final quarter of 2020, when the state reported more than $68.3 million in those payouts. That’s up from $15.5 million during the same quarter in 2019, several months before the pandemic began paralyzing the U.S. economy.
The surge in ineligible unemployment payments last year were made at a time when labor department workers warned the state had lowered its safeguards and was overpaying or approving benefits for people not entitled to receive them. They included some who had not worked in at least 18 months and others who filed unemployment applications in multiple states, the Times Union reported in September.
But many who received the benefits in error believe they were entitled to unemployment assistance, including out-of-work teachers and musicians whose gigs had been cancelled as bars and theaters were closed.
Nys Department Of Labor Launches New Streamlined Application For New Yorkers To Apply For Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Without Having To First Apply For Unemployment Insurance
Cumbersome federal policy that slowed New York from distributing benefits lifted
In conjunction with this morning’s rollout of improved application, over 3,100 DOL representatives solely dedicated to answering unemployment benefit needs in improved process
Since the COVID-19 crisis began, DOL has paid $2.2 billion in Unemployment benefits to 1.1 million New Yorkers
Application call backlog prior to 4/8 reduced to 4,305 from 275,000
The New York State Department of Labor today announced the launch of a new application for New Yorkers to apply for traditional Unemployment Insurance or the new COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Assistance. This one-stop-shop for unemployment benefits will connect New Yorkers with the benefits they deserve faster, without requiring them to call the Department of Labor.
Prior to today, due to cumbersome federal guidelines, New Yorkers were required to apply for regular Unemployment Insurance and be rejected before applying for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance. With this new application, which aligns with updated federal policy, New Yorkers will be able to simply fill out one form to get the correct benefits.
In conjunction with this morning’s rollout of the improved application, DOL has been deploying over 3,100 representatives solely dedicated to answering unemployment benefit needs seven days a week. This is up from 400 who previously manned the DOL call center prior to the pandemic.
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Timeline Of Unemployment Insurance Program In New York
The following timeline features selected key events in the history of New York’s unemployment insurance program. The timeline is not a comprehensive history of the state unemployment insurance program.
- 1938: As of May 1, 1938, New York’s unemployment insurance program offered a maximum weekly benefit amount of $15 for up to 16 weeks.
- 1985: As of January 1, 1985, New York’s unemployment insurance program offered a maximum WBA of $180 for up to 26 weeks.
- 2021: A March 2021 report from the U.S. Department of Labor found that the trust funds in 40 states and territories, including New York, had dropped below the recommended minimum solvency standard as of January 1, 2021.
Getting Back Pay For Unemployment Benefits
Important Notice About Receiving Your Back Benefits: The DOL is using DocuSigns secure digital signature technology to help New Yorkers get their backdated payments. If you receive an email, please fill out the form and send it in so that we can get you the benefits you are eligible for as quickly as possible.
When you claim weekly benefits, you must answer questions to certify how many days 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 www.labor.ny.gov/signin and click on the envelope icon on the My online Services page.
To fax your request, send to 457-9378.By mail, send to:New York State Department of LaborPO Box 15130Albany, NY 12212-5130
The NY DOL is currently experiencing high call volumes, so check their website. Also while the NY DOL site is a great place to get program information, their social media sites seem to have the most up to date information.
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I Am About To Exhaust My Regular Unemployment Compensation Benefits What Kinds Of Relief Does The Cares Act Provide For Me
Under the CARES Act states are permitted to extend unemployment benefits by up to 13 weeks under the new Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation program. PEUC benefits are available for weeks of unemployment beginning after your state implements the new program and ending with weeks of unemployment ending on or before December 31, 2020. The program covers most individuals who have exhausted all rights to regular unemployment compensation under state or federal law and who are able to work, available for work, and actively seeking work as defined by state law. Importantly, the CARES Act gives states flexibility in determining whether you are actively seeking work if you are unable to search for work because of COVID-19, including because of illness, quarantine, or movement restrictions.
In addition, if you have exhausted the 13 weeks of additional benefits available under the PEUC program, you may be eligible to continue receiving benefits under the PUA program. PUA benefits are available for a period of unemployment of up to 39 weeks, meaning that if you have exhausted regular UC and PEUC benefits in fewer than 39 weeks, you may be eligible to receive assistance under PUA for the remaining weeks within PUAs 39 week period.
Pandemic Unemployment Expenses For New York Exceed $8 Billion
Steve Bittenbender
New York business leaders are once again asking lawmakers in Albany to step up and provide relief for employers regarding the states unemployment debt, which currently exceeds $8 billion.
A statement released Wednesday by The Business Council of New York and the National Federation of Independent Business-New York said that the state is one of eight that still has an outstanding loan from the federal government to cover pandemic-related unemployment expenses.
The business groups said that if the legislature takes no action it would result in higher federal and state payroll taxes to pay back the loan.
The state owed about $9.3 billion but recently made a $1.2 billion payment using funds received through businesses payments into the fund.
While we do not expect New York to cover our entire $9 billion debt, we urge state leaders to dedicate public funds to offset the impact of federal interest payments and increased FUTA taxes and provide immediate UI tax relief for employers as we continue to work on a more complete approach, The Business Council Vice President Ken Pokalsky said in the statement.
The business groups pointed to states like Illinois and Minnesota that used COVID-19 relief funds to pay toward their states unemployment debts. Even California, which owes $18 billion, is looking at ways to keep businesses from bearing all of that cost.
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Attachment To The Workforce
You need to provide proof that you were âattached to the workforceâ prior to collecting unemployment. Being âattached to the workforceâ means that ANY of the following 4 scenarios existed prior to your unemployment start date:
Important: Many people think that to qualify for âscheduled to start workâ, it is enough that you were ready to start and were looking for a job. To prove âscheduled to start employmentâ or âscheduled to start being self-employedâ you must show an actual job that you were ready to start. Searching for a job is not enough to show âattachment to the workforceâ.
State’s General Fund Balance Over $20 Billion
The States General Fund balance has been at historically high levels, over $19 billion, in recent weeks. The updated Executive Budget Financial Plan issued by the Division of the Budget in mid-February projected that balance would be $20 billion at the end of February. As of February 26, the actual figure was $20.4 billion.
DOB has projected the State will end the current fiscal year on March 31 with a General Fund balance of $7.2 billion. Among other factors, that figure reflects the planned repayment of $3.4 billion in notes issued in 2020 for cash-flow purposes, and over $15 billion in local assistance payments estimated to be paid in March, including the release of not-yet-specified amounts previously withheld from municipalities, nonprofit organizations and other recipients. In addition, the updated Financial Plan indicates that $1.6 billion in debt service payments previously expected to be made in State fiscal years 2022-23 through 2024-25 will instead be made before the end of the current fiscal year. The end-of-year balance will also be affected by decisions on specific uses and timing of federal stimulus funds.
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Extra $300 Unemployment Under Lost Wages Assistance Program
The NY DOL has paid out the $300 weekly payment approved under the LWA program, which provides supplemental payments to eligible unemployment benefits claimants who have been unemployed, partially unemployed, or unable or unavailable to work due to disruptions caused by COVID-19 and are currently eligible to receive at least $100 per week in benefits. All New Yorkers getting UI benefits currently will be eligible for the LWA since the minimum benefit is $104 in the state. There were a maximum of 6 weeks or $1800 funded under this program and all payment weeks have now been processed.
If you have not received your payment or you may have been eligible for this payment, you will need to contact the NY DOL for retroactive payments. However due to the limited funding for this program, you may not be able to get the extra money any longer.
Applying For Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation
To apply for Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation, people had to file a claim for regular benefits with the UI program in the state where they worked. Depending on the state, they could file a claim in person, online, or over the phone. When they filed a claim, they had to provide their Social Security Number, contact information, and details about their former employment.
Under the FPUC program, states administered an extra $600 weekly payment to eligible people who were receiving regular unemployment benefits , as well those collecting benefits from the following programs:
- Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation
- Disaster Unemployment Assistance
- Payment under the Self-Employment Assistance program
Due to the massive number of people trying to apply for UI benefits, many state’s UI websites crashed or were very slow. Applicants were advised to watch for updates on the program website, and to be aware that many states had indicated they would backdate claims to the date applicants first became unemployed.
As the program launched, most states were still waiting for guidance from the Department of Labor to implement the program . As states started to provide the extra payment, eligible people received retroactive payments. The payments dated back to the applicant’s eligibility date or the date their state signed an agreement to provide the benefitswhichever was later. All states had executed agreements with the Department of Labor as of March 28, 2020.
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Comptroller Dinapoli Releases Analysis Of Executive Budget
Comptroller DiNapoli said there are some positive developments for the States fiscal recovery from the pandemic, including higher than expected personal income tax collections and the prospect of significant aid from the federal government, in his review of the Executive Budget for State Fiscal Year 2021-22, as amended by the Governor. However, risks remain and could threaten the States fragile improvement. For the complete analysis, see the report.
Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Continued Claims In New York
Observation:
Data in this graph are copyrighted. Please review the copyright information in the series notes before sharing.
Units: Number, Not Seasonally Adjusted
Frequency: Weekly, Ending Saturday
Notes:
Continued claims, also referred to as insured unemployment, is the number of people who have already filed an initial claim and who have experienced a week of unemployment and then filed a continued claim to claim benefits for that week of unemployment. Continued claims data are based on the week of unemployment, not the week when the initial claim was filed.The Pandemic Unemployment Assistance is a program that temporarily expanded unemployment insurance eligibility to self-employed workers, freelancers, independent contractors and part-time workers impacted by the coronavirus pandemic in 2020. This program was established by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, which expanded states’ ability to provide unemployment insurance to many workers affected by COVID-19, including people who aren’t ordinarily eligible for unemployment benefits.
Suggested Citation:
U.S. Employment and Training Administration, Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Continued Claims in New York , retrieved from FRED, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/PUACCNY, January 3, 2023.
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What To Do If Your Benefits End But You Think They Should Keep Going
If you think the state Department of Labor made a mistake with your claim, you can call its hotline at 888-209-8124, though there may be a long wait time.
You can also contact a legal services provider who can help, or your state representatives who can advocate on your behalf.
You can call Legal Services NYC at 917-661-4500, The Legal Aid Societys access to benefits hotline at 888-663-6880 or the Center for Urban Community Services at 855-932-2827, and you can find your state representatives contact information here.
Benefit Year End Date
With many New Yorkers having received unemployment benefits for over 12 months, they would have reached their benefit year end date and in some cases need to file for a new claim. But there are some exceptions noted per NY DOL guidelines:
If you have not worked for an employer OR have worked for an employer but have not earned 10 times yourweekly benefit rate since filing your initial claim: Continue to certify on your existing claim. You can keepcertifying on your existing claim. You do not have to reapply if you did not return to work, but if you choose toreapply, NY DOL will review your eligibility for a new claim.
If you have worked for an employer AND earned 10 times your weekly benefit rate since filing your initial claim:You must file a new claim. If you continue to claim on an expired claim, your benefits may be stopped. If you need to file a new claim, the best way to file a new claim for benefits is online. Go to labor.ny.gov/signin and click File a Claim. Alternatively, you can also file a new claim through the NY DOL automated telephone service by calling 888-209-8124.
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For How Long Will I Receive Benefits
- Between standard UI and the enhancements available under these laws, UI benefits are available for a total of 79 weeks.
- You may also be eligible for additional weeks under the Extended Benefits program after exhausting these other UI programs.
- If you are newly eligible for UI, you may still be able to qualify for the back payment of UI benefits starting on, or after, January 27, 2020 through December 31, 2020, if your job loss was due to the COVID-19 outbreak.
Im Partially Employed Because Im A Student And Work Part Time Doing Ride
You may be eligible for PUA, depending on your personal circumstances. A gig economy worker, such as a driver for a ride-sharing service, is eligible for PUA provided that he or she is unemployed, partially employed, or unable or unavailable to work for one or more of the qualifying reasons provided for by the CARES Act. For example, a driver for a ride-sharing service may be forced to quit his or her job if he or she was diagnosed with COVID-19 by a qualified medical professional, and although the driver no longer has COVID-19, the illness caused health complications that render the driver objectively unable to perform his or her essential job functions, with or without a reasonable accommodation. Similarly, under an additional eligibility criterion established by the Secretary of Labor pursuant to 2102, a driver who receives an IRS Form 1099 from the ride-sharing service may qualify for PUA benefits if he or she has been forced to suspend operations as a direct result of the COVID-19 public health emergency, such as if an emergency state or municipal order restricting movement makes continued operations unsustainable. Relatedly, widespread social distancing undertaken in response to guidance from federal, state, or local governments may so severely reduce customer demand for a drivers services as to force him or her to suspend operations, and thus make the driver eligible for PUA.
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