How to file for unemployment in New York

The online claim is usually the fastest way. Here is what to have ready, when your claim starts and what comes after you file.

All about unemployment in New York

Checked against official sources: October 31, 2026.

Filing, step by step

File online (best between 7:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m.) or by phone with the Telephone Claims Center at 1-888-209-8124, Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Turn off any VPN or proxy before filing. You may need to verify your identity with ID.me.

When to file and when your claim starts

File during your first week of total or partial unemployment; if you wait, you may lose benefits. You cannot file for a week in which you work more than 30 hours or earn more than the maximum benefit rate. To ask for credit for a period you did not file, write to the Central Support Unit and explain why.

What to have ready

Your full name, phone number and full mailing address
Your Social Security number
Your driver's license or other government ID, or your employment authorization number if you are not a U.S. citizen
Your bank account and routing numbers (for direct deposit)
For each employer: legal name and address, Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN) or New York registration number (on your W-2 or record of employment), and your start and end dates
Your DD-214, if you were in the military in the last 18 months
Wage details

Certify (claim your weeks)

How often: Weekly. Certify each week online with your NY.gov ID or by phone at 1-888-581-5812. Claim for the prior Monday-through-Sunday week starting Sunday, and before midnight Saturday. Report all hours you worked and your gross earnings for the week you did the work.

Your first payment

If you are eligible, your first payment generally comes two to three weeks after your claim is completed and processed; it can take longer if more information is needed. Any back weeks owed are paid with your first payment. You can choose direct deposit or a debit card.

Law: N.Y. Labor Law secs. 590, 596

Official source: Source page

What applies in every state

File with the unemployment program of the state where you worked. If you worked in another state or in several states, the agency in the state where you live now can tell you how to file with other states.
It generally takes two to three weeks after you file to get your first payment. Some states require a one-week waiting period, so the second week you claim is the first week paid.

Free help

Call 1-888-209-8124. Legal aid and other free help in New York → Official sources →