How to apply for New York unemployment benefits
Apply Online
CALL: 1-888-209-8124 for New York State residents (or 1-877-358-5306 for out of state residents) between 8:00 am and 5:00 pm, Monday through Friday.
This is a toll-free call. If you choose to file your claim by phone, an automated voice will offer you the choice of filing in English, Spanish, Russian, Cantonese, Mandarin, Creole, or “all other languages” (translation services will be provided).
Listen to the choices carefully and enter the appropriate number on your telephone’s numeric keypad to file a claim. If you have never filed a claim for benefits in New York State, you will be asked to create a Personal Identification Number (PIN). This will be a four-digit number that you must keep confidential.
Hearing impaired individuals, who have Telephone Device for the Deaf (TTY/TDD) equipment, may file a claim by calling a relay operator at 1-800-662-1220 and requesting the operator to call 1-888-783-1370. Service at this number will only be provided to callers using TDD equipment.
Visit a NY Job Center
Applying for NY Unemployment
New Yorkers who have lost a job through no fault of their own should apply for New York unemployment insurance benefits as soon as possible. The process is fairly straightforward, but you’ll need to make sure you understand all the steps and have all the necessary documentation before you begin. We’ll walk you through everything you need to know, step by step.
Information to gather before applying
You’ll need several key pieces of information to apply for New York unemployment insurance benefits, and it’s wise to gather it all in advance so that you can submit your claim smoothly and easily. Here are some of the key pieces of information you’ll need:
- Your driver’s license or Motor Vehicle ID number
- Your Social Security number
- Your Alien Registration card number if you are not a U.S. Citizen
- Your complete contact information, including your mailing address and a telephone number where you can be reached with questions about your unemployment claim
- Complete information, including supervisor’s names and company mailing addresses, for every employer you’ve worked for during the past 18 months
- If you were a federal employee, copies of forms SF8 and SF50
- If you have separated from military service, a copy of your most recent DD214 form
- The Employer Registration number or Federal Employer Identification Number of your most recent employer. This information should be found on your most recent W-2 form.
- The routing and account numbers of your bank account if you intend to set up your UI benefits as direct deposit
Having all of this information readily at hand helps you avoid unnecessary delays in getting your application for unemployment insurance benefits submitted. It also helps the state of New York more readily assess your claim. Any information that you are missing can cause delays after your claim is submitted. Submitting the right documentation also makes it easy for the state to verify your New York unemployment eligibility.
How to apply by phone
While the state of New York recommends submitting any new claim for unemployment assistance online, that option simply isn’t available to everyone. If you need to submit your unemployment claim by phone, you also may take that route. You will be asked to create a PIN if this is your first time filing a claim.
To submit by phone, you can call New York’s Telephone Claims Center from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, at 888-209-8124.
For TTY or TDD users, you’ll need to first connect with a relay operator at 800-662-1220 and ask them to call 888-783-1370.
Video Relay Service users contact their relay operator and ask them to call 888-783-1370.
How to create a PIN
When you file over the phone, you are required to create a PIN. You will need this number any time you call with questions about your initial claim and/or to file your New York unemployment weekly claim. If you forget your PIN, you can call the Telephone Claims Center to reset it. Just choose the PIN or Address Changes option when prompted.
If you submitted your initial claim online but later need to call the Telephone Claim Center about your claim by telephone, you will be prompted at that point to create a PIN.
How to apply online
Applying for traditional unemployment benefits online is the quickest and easiest way to do so. You’ll simply go to labor.ny.gov/signin and select Sign In.
Best times for filing claims online:
- 7:30 am to 7:30 pm – Monday through Thursday
- 7:30 am to 5:00 pm – Fridays
- 12:01 am Saturday to midnight on Sunday – Weekends
Timing for claiming benefits
- Sunday 12:01 am to midnight
- Monday to Friday – 07:30 am to midnight
- Saturday from 12:01 a.m. to midnight
How to create an NY.gov ID
To file a claim online, you must have an NY.gov ID. This allows you to submit a new claim, file your weekly certification online, check the status of your claim, and access other online features.
You can set up an NY.gov account at labor.ny.gov/signin. Once you navigate to the site, you can select Create NY.gov Account and follow the prompts to set up your account. Please note that this ID is separate from your telephone PIN.
Once complete, your NY.gov ID can be used to access services offered by other New York State agencies, in addition to your UI benefits. You’ll also use it to submit your claim each week that certifies your continued compliance with New York unemployment work search requirements.
If you have any trouble setting up your account, you can call the Department of Labor Contact Center at 800-833-3000 between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Option 2 will connect you with a customer service representative who can help you solve your issue.
Set up your payment method
When you set up your online account and submit your initial claim, you will be able to choose how you would like to receive your unemployment compensation. You can either have your weekly benefits deposited directly into your bank account each week or you may choose to have them loaded onto a debit card. Simply indicate your choice when prompted within the online system.
If you submit your claim over the phone, you automatically will receive weekly benefits via a debit card each week unless you have a previous claim on file and you received weekly benefits for that claim by direct deposit. You can use our New York unemployment calculator to estimate your unemployment benefit amount.
What if my NY application is denied?
It’s not uncommon for an initial claim to be denied for many different reasons. If you receive notification that your unemployment claim wasn’t approved, you can file an appeal.
Your appeal serves as a formal request for a hearing that typically is held before an impartial Administrative Law Judge who represents the Unemployment Insurance Appeal Board. You can submit your appeal request through your online account by choosing the option Claimant Request for Hearing and following the prompts.
Or, you can mail a formal hearing request to:
New York State Department of Labor
P.O. Box 15131
Albany, NY 12212-5131
Please note: Your request must be postmarked within 30 days of receiving your formal determination letter. Your appeal hearing likely will be scheduled between 15 and 30 days after your request is made.
You will receive the Administrative Law Judge’s opinion soon after participating in your hearing. If you continue to disagree with the decision, you may appeal further directly to the Unemployment Insurance Appeal Board. The letter you receive after your hearing will outline instructions for submitting a further appeal. Following the Appeal Board’s decision, your next resource will be appealing to the Appellate Division of the New York State Supreme Court, Third Department.
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