What is Unemployment Insurance?

Unemployment Insurance is temporary income for eligible workers who lose their jobs through no fault of their own.

COVID-19 Unemployment Insurance

You can apply for unemployment insurance if you have lost your job through no fault of your own. Additionally, on March 27, 2020, a law was signed that provides additional Unemployment Insurance (“UI”) assistance to workers impacted by COVID-19.

This new law provides:

• Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA): Extends eligibility to individuals who have traditionally been ineligible for UI benefits (e.g., self-employed workers, independent contractors) until the benefit week ending 3/14/2021.
• Pandemic Unemployment Compensation: Additional payments of $600 per week for benefit weeks ending 4/5/2020 to 7/26/2020 and $300 per week for the benefit weeks ending 1/3/2021 to 3/14/2021 while unemployed.
• Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation: An additional 24 weeks of UI benefits, beyond the 26 weeks already provided by New York State, until the benefit week ending 3/14/2021.

How to Apply

For assistance on unemployment, please visit:
Unemployment | The State of New York.

Important Things to Know
If you are filing a new unemployment insurance claim, the day you should apply is based on the first letter of your last name.

• A – F file on Monday
• G – N file on Tuesday
• O – Z file on Wednesday
• If you missed your day: File Thursday – Sunday
• Any claim you file will be backdated to the date you became unemployed.
• If you are eligible, you will be paid for all benefits from that date forward.
• New York State is waiving the 7-Day waiting period for Unemployment Insurance benefits for people who are out of work due to Coronavirus (COVID-19) closures or quarantines. If you’ve seen the term ‘waiting week’ on your payment history, it is a relic of our existing system and does NOT impact your benefits.

For information on: What you need to know, the Overview, & Eligibility
Click Here: Get Unemployment Assistance | The State of New York

Certify for Weekly Unemployment Benefits

Once you have filed a claim for benefits, you must also claim weekly benefits for each week you are unemployed and meet the eligibility requirements. This is also called “certifying for benefits.”

For information on when to certify and the process on certifying for weekly unemployment benefits:
Click Here: Certify for Weekly Unemployment Insurance Benefits | Department of Labor

Exhausted or Expired Unemployment Insurance Benefits

On March 27, 2020, a law was signed that provides additional Unemployment Insurance (“UI”) assistance to workers impacted by COVID-19.
To learn more about how to extend your benefits:
Click Here: Exhausted or Expired Unemployment Insurance Benefits | Department of Labor