New York State is waiving the 7-Day waiting period for unemployment insurance benefits for people who are totally or partially unemployed due to Coronavirus (COVID-19) closures or quarantines.
The Unemployment Insurance hotline is experiencing intermittent phone issues and long wait times. You should use the DOL website if possible to file your claim and wait for DOL to contact you directly. The new streamlined online application system can handle most applications from start to finish.
New Yorkers who are currently receiving unemployment insurance benefits due to COVID-19 are eligible to receive an additional 20 weeks of Extended Benefits (EB).
All Career Centers in New York City are closed and providing virtual services until further notice. Unemployment Insurance benefits will not be impacted. You should continue to file for weekly benefits as normal.
Visit the U.S. Department of Labor website.
Learn about Unemployment Insurance, Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA), and Extended Benefits.
Lost Wage Assistance (LWA) Program
The DOL will provide payments for the Lost Wages Assistance (LWA) program, which provides an additional $300 in weekly benefits to unemployed New Yorkers.
If you are qualified for the LWA program, you should have already received an email and text message from DOL. You do not need to take any further action. You will receive LWA payments starting the week of September 14.
If you need to submit an additional certification confirming that your unemployment is related to COVID-19 in order to qualify for LWA benefits, you can certify online or by phone:
- Online: You should have received a secure DocuSign email from the DOL on September 11th with a link to certify for LWA benefits.
- Phone: You can call (833) 491-0632 to certify via an automated phone system.
You will receive payments starting the week of September 21st if your certification was submitted by 5 PM on September 14th. After that, payments will be released on a rolling basis.
Learn more about the Lost Wages Assistance (LWA) program.
