How to file for Unemployment in NYS

I let one of the guys use my office computer so that he could file for unemployment. Ten minutes into it he came into my office and asked if I had any idea why unemployment wanted to know what his credit rating was. …ALARM BELLS…

Somehow he accidently had gotten himself on to a phishing website. I thought little of it until I was talking with someone else a few days later who had run into the same thing!

How many people are making the same mistake?

I am NOT an expert on NYS Unemployment. As a matter of fact there is miles more that I don’t know than I do. However there are a few things I can assure you of.

First, make sure you are on the right website. The correct link is: https://www.labor.ny.gov/unemploymentassistance. As per my picture, the only web address you should be on will have labor.ny.gov as part of it. Anything else it likely trying to steal your personal information.

NYS wants you to set up an account. It’s okay. Do it. …as long as you’re on the right website. If you visit your local unemployment office in person, they can help you set up an account. I heard that some of the kind hearted folks doing the assisting are sometimes advising overly simple passwords. Please use a password that looks like something like “N8WfPBcvGZ”. The information you are putting on file is just far too sensitive to trust to “Unemployment1234”.

And finally, one of the great things about filing online is that it makes it super easy to work part time. Working part time absolutely does not hurt your unemployment. On the other hand it actually extends it. Of course there is some math to do. The state pays out on a four day week. So if you work one day, make sure that you’re working for at least as much as the the people’s unemployment fund pays you for one day. Personally I recommend working at every possible opportunity. Sometimes, even if you are just trading dollars, you still better yourself because you get your face in the mix of things. One thing I can tell you with absolute certainty—your next great career break will not happen whilst sitting on the couch 😉