The New York State Department of Labor today announced the launch of a new application for New Yorkers to apply for traditional Unemployment Insurance or the new COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Assistance. This one-stop-shop for unemployment benefits will connect New Yorkers with the benefits they deserve faster, without requiring them to call the Department of Labor.
Prior to today, due to cumbersome federal guidelines, New
Yorkers were required to apply for regular Unemployment Insurance and be
rejected before applying for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance. With this new
application, which aligns with updated federal policy, New Yorkers will be able
to simply fill out one form to get the correct benefits.
In conjunction with this morning's rollout of the improved
application, DOL has been deploying over 3,100 representatives solely dedicated
to answering unemployment benefit needs seven days a week. This is up from 400
who previously manned the DOL call center prior to the pandemic.
Since the COVID-19 crisis began, DOL has paid approximately
$2.2 billion in Unemployment Insurance benefits to 1.1 million New Yorkers. The
application call backlog prior to April 8 has been reduced to 4,305 from
275,000.
"I have been unemployed before myself, and I understand
the pain, fear and anxiety New Yorkers are facing. The DOL's mission is to help
our neighbors through some of their toughest days, and in the last week we have
made great strides in updating our systems," NYS Department of Labor
Commissioner Roberta Reardon said. "While it appears the coronavirus
pandemic is beginning to stabilize — at least from the public health
perspective — we know that many New Yorkers are still facing an uncertain
economic future, and the Department of Labor will continue to dedicate every
resource available to helping New Yorkers weather this storm."
The updated unemployment benefits application system,
available here, will determine which unemployment program — unemployment
insurance or Pandemic Unemployment Assistance — New Yorkers should apply for
and then prompt them to answer a specific set of questions. The application builds
on the new online system the department rolled out on Friday, April 10th, in
partnership with the State Office of Information Technology Services and Google
Cloud, to help manage the exponential and unprecedented increase in new claims
resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program, which
was included in the Federal CARES Act, provides unemployment benefits for
individuals who are ineligible for traditional unemployment insurance. Examples
of those covered by PUA include:
• Self-employed New Yorkers;
• Independent contractors;
• New Yorkers who worked for an app-based company (i.e.
"gig workers")
• Farmers;
• Those diagnosed with COVID-19 or who have COVD-19 symptoms
and are seeking a diagnosis;
• Those living with a household member who has been
diagnosed with COVID-19;
• Those providing care for a family or household member
diagnosed with COVID-19;
• A primary caregiver for a child unable to attend school or
another facility due to COVID-19;
• Those unable to reach their place of employment due to an
imposed quarantine or because they have been advised by a medical provider to
self-quarantine due to COVID-19;
• Those scheduled to commence new employment that cannot
reach their workplace as a direct result of COVID-19;
• Those who became a major breadwinner because the head of
their household died from COVID-19;
• Those who quit their job as a direct result of COVID-19;
• Those whose place of employment closed as a direct result
of COVID-19;
• Those with insufficient work history and affected by
COVID-19; and
• New Yorkers otherwise not qualified for regular or
extended UI benefits and affected by COVID-19
