Major Change Coming to New York Unemployment Benefits in November

If you receive unemployment benefits in New York, there's an important deadline you'll want to put on your calendar.

New York is temporarily shutting down its unemployment insurance system beginning at 5 p.m. November 2 for a major technology upgrade. The system is expected to be unavailable for nine to 12 days, and during that time New Yorkers won't be able to file a new claim, certify for weekly benefits, access their accounts or use unemployment services by phone.

What You Should Do Before November 2

If you already receive unemployment, the New York State Department of Labor recommends certifying for your weekly payment before 5 p.m. November 2 if possible. If you've recently become unemployed, you should also try to start your claim before the deadline.

You won't lose benefits you're eligible for because of the shutdown, but payments could be delayed. Once the new system launches, existing claimants will be able to certify for a week they missed, which means your first payment afterward could cover two weeks.

If you become unemployed while the system is down, you'll have to wait until it returns to file a claim. Eligible benefits can still be paid retroactively.

Keep Looking for Work During the Shutdown

The shutdown doesn't pause New York's work-search requirements. Most people receiving unemployment must complete and document at least three work-search activities each week, including things like submitting resumes, interviewing or networking.

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Keep records of everything you do while the system is offline. The new system will include a place to enter those activities when you certify.

Don't Create a New Account

When the new system launches, existing users should continue using their current NY.gov login. Do not create a new account.

The Department of Labor plans to notify claimants by text, email and public notices when the system is ready.

Why Is New York's Unemployment System Going Offline?

New York is spending $188 million to replace unemployment technology that's roughly 50 years old. Its limitations became especially obvious during the COVID-19 pandemic, when a massive increase in claims overwhelmed the system and left many New Yorkers struggling to get through.

The new cloud-based system is designed to handle increased demand and make future upgrades easier without requiring another lengthy shutdown.

Filing for Unemployment Should Get Easier

Once the new system launches, New Yorkers will be able to file claims, certify for benefits, check claim status, upload documents and exchange messages through their accounts, including from a smartphone.

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The application will also alert users when required information is missing before a claim is submitted. That's intended to reduce incomplete claims that previously required people to call the Department of Labor to get things moving again.

Businesses will also have around-the-clock account access and be able to respond to Labor Department requests online.