Unemployment benefits are available in New York to employees who have lost their jobs involuntarily, through no fault of their own. The purpose of unemployment compensation is to provide some temporary cash assistance to people while they are looking for new work.
The basic structure of the unemployment system is the same in every state: You must meet certain eligibility requirements based on your work history, you must be looking for work, and you must file a claim for benefits with your state’s unemployment department. But each state has its own rules about who qualifies, how to apply, how much you will receive, how long benefits last, and much more.
Here’s how unemployment works in New York.
Who Is Eligible for Unemployment Benefits in New York State?
In New York, there are two basic eligibility requirements for receiving unemployment benefits. First, you must have earned a minimum amount during the “base period”: the first four of the five completed calendar quarters before you filed for benefits. Second, you must be out of work involuntarily, for reasons that are not your fault.
Do You Meet the Minimum Earnings Requirement?
The New York Department of Labor (NYDOL) will determine your monetary eligibility once you file your application for benefits. You are monetarily eligible—that is, you meet the state’s earnings requirement—if all three of the following statements are true:
- You worked and were paid wages in at least two of the four calendar quarters of the base period.
- You earned at least $3,400 in one quarter of the base period (for claims filed in 2025; the amount changes annually).
- You earned at least 1.5 times your highest-paid quarter wages in the entire base period. For example, if you earned $4,000 in your highest paid quarter, you must have earned at least $6,000 in the whole base period to qualify. However, this requirement is different if your high-quarter wages were $11,088 or more; in that case, you must have earned a total of at least half that amount ($5,544) in the other three quarters of your base period.
Are You Out of Work Through No Fault of Your Own?
You must have a qualifying reason for being unemployed to be eligible for benefits. Here are the rules:
Can You Get Unemployment If You Are Laid Off?
If you lose your job in a restructuring, layoff, downsizing, or similar job action taken by your employer for economic reasons, you will qualify for benefits.
Can You Get Unemployment If You Get Fired?
If you were fired for performance reasons, for failing to meet production goals, or because you didn’t meet the qualifications for the job, you will most likely be eligible for benefits. However, if you were fired for misconduct, such as insubordination or absenteeism, you may be disqualified from receiving benefits.
Can You Get Unemployment If You Resign?
If you quit your job voluntarily, without good cause, you won’t be eligible for benefits. Good cause includes compelling family reasons, such as caring for a family member with a disability or dealing with domestic violence. If your job circumstances change significantly—for example, your commute becomes unreasonably long or your wages are reduced significantly below the prevailing wage for your work in your area—you may also have good cause.
How Much Are Unemployment Benefits in New York?
Your weekly benefit is based on your high-quarter earnings during the base period. The current minimum and maximum weekly amounts are $136 and $504 in 2025, but these are subject to change.
The exact amount of your benefits depends on how many quarters you worked and how much you earned. (You can use New York's unemployment benefit rate calculator to get an estimate of your benefits.)
How Long Do Unemployment Benefits Last in New York?
Basic unemployment benefits are available for up to 26 weeks. However, in times of particularly high unemployment, extended benefits may be available.
Partial Unemployment Benefits in New York
In New York, you can collect partial unemployment benefits while working part time. However, the amount you work will impact how much you receive in benefits.
For individuals who have lost work and are working 30 hours or fewer a week (while earning no more than $504 per week), you can receive partial unemployment benefits as follows:
- 10 or fewer hours of work: No reduction in weekly benefit rate
- 11 – 16 hours of work: 75 percent of weekly benefit rate
- 17 – 21 hours of work: 50 percent of weekly benefit rate
- 22 – 30 hours of work: 25 percent of weekly benefit rate, and
- 31+ hours of work = 4 days worked: 0 percent of weekly benefit rate.
How to File for Unemployment in New York
It's best to file a claim for unemployment benefits in New York online. You must supply basic information about yourself, your employer, your earnings, and your work history. Learn more at the NYDOL’s page on filing for unemployment benefits.
If your claim is denied, all is not necessarily lost. You can file an appeal of the denial, arguing that you should have been awarded benefits. Learn more in our article about unemployment appeals.
Work Search Requirements
Once you file your initial claim, you will have to claim your benefits each week. This is called submitting your “weekly certification” for benefits. You will have to answer questions about your job search and earnings, among other things. You can file your weekly claim online or by phone.
You must make “systemic and sustained” efforts to look for work while you are receiving benefits. This means engaging in at least three acceptable job search activities each week, on different days. You also must keep a record of your work search activities. (For more details, see the NYDOL's FAQ page on work search requirements.)
Accepting Suitable Work
You will be disqualified from receiving further unemployment benefits if you refuse an offer of suitable work without a good reason. During the first ten weeks of receiving unemployment benefits, suitable work means a job you can reasonably do with your past training and experience.
If you are still unemployed after ten weeks, suitable work means any work you are capable of doing (whether you have done it before or not), as long as it pays at least 80% of what you earned in your highest-paid quarter of the base period.
Good reasons for refusing suitable work include the fact that the job would require an unreasonable commute or pays substantially less than the prevailing wage for similar work in the same area.