Unemployment Insurance is insurance that protects workers in case of unemployment, enacted by Congress in 1935 under the Social Security Act. The program is funded by employers, who pay an unemployment insurance tax on their employees’ wages – most employers pay both the federal tax (FUTA) and a state tax. Unemployment insurance is governed by general federal guidelines, while each state’s authorities set how long unemployment benefits last, how much they are and the eligibility rules.
Who Does Not Qualify for Benefits
The vast majority of jobs in the US are covered by unemployment insurance. Employers who pay their employees more than a certain amount in a calendar quarter must provide coverage for their staff. However, jobs without unemployment coverage include:
- religious and caregiving roles at religious organizations;
- student jobs under Work Study Programs, which are a form of federal financial aid;
- any work performed by young people under age 14;
- home-based piecework;
- work in correctional institutions;
- babysitting by young people under 18;
- work in a business you own individually or with a partner;
- work for your husband or wife in a private business;
- self-employment.
It is worth checking with your employer whether your job is covered by unemployment insurance.
Who Can Receive Benefits
Here is when you qualify for unemployment benefits:
- You lost a full-time job through no fault of your own.
- You are able and willing to work.
- You are a citizen or permanent resident of the United States, or you have Work Authorization.
You worked for a certain period and earned a certain amount of money in the period before you lost your job (the so-called base period). For example, New York rules require that during this period you had wages from covered employment in at least two calendar quarters, including – for claims filed in 2026 – at least $3,500 in one quarter. In addition, your total earnings in this period must be at least one and a half times what you earned in your highest quarter. In New Jersey, for claims filed in 2026, you must have earned at least $310 a week for 20 or more weeks in the base period, or at least $15,500 in total. These thresholds change every year. Make sure you know what conditions your state’s law sets.
Certain circumstances make it impossible to receive unemployment benefits. This is the case if:
- you quit your job voluntarily;
- you were fired for misconduct;
- you stopped working because of a strike or a labor dispute – in that case you are not eligible for benefits until the strike or dispute ends;
- you gave false information on your benefit application – you will be disqualified for a period of time;
- you receive or are trying to receive benefits in another state.
How to File a Claim
If you are out of work, you should immediately file your claim with the state Unemployment Office – nowadays usually online or by phone. File even if you are not sure whether you are entitled to benefits. The office will review your case, verify it and give you an answer.
The Procedure
When filing a claim, have your Social Security card and another form of identification ready. If you are not yet a US citizen, have your current immigration document or other documents proving your right to work. Requirements vary from state to state, but you will certainly need the following information:
- your full home address and Social Security number,
- the name, address and phone number of your last employer,
- the employer’s number (Employer’s Federal ID) from a pay stub or a W-2 form,
- the dates you started and ended work,
- the amount of your earnings,
- information about previous employers, depending on the length of employment. Usually information from the last two years is needed.
Have documents ready that confirm the information above. Don’t delay registering, because you will delay the date your benefits are granted. The Unemployment Office will write to your employer to confirm the information you provided: your wages, length of employment and the reason for your dismissal.
In Many Places – Remote Filing Only
More and more cities and states have automated the process of filing unemployment claims. Applications for unemployment benefits are filed online or by phone.
In New York State, you file a claim for unemployment benefits with the New York State Department of Labor, Unemployment Insurance:
- online: after logging in with your NY.gov ID account at labor.ny.gov/signin (the Unemployment Services tab, “File a claim”); information: dol.ny.gov,
- by phone, by calling the Telephone Claims Center at 1-888-209-8124 (Monday through Friday, 8 a.m.–5 p.m.). The Tel-Service line, 1-888-581-5812, is also available for weekly certification of unemployment.
In New Jersey, you register:
- online at www.nj.gov/labor/myunemployment (the “File a claim” link, all of NJ),
- by phone: 1-201-601-4100 (North NJ), 1-732-761-2020 (Central NJ), 1-856-507-2340 (South NJ).
Residents of other states will find information on their State Department of Labor website. You can type “Unemployment claim” and the name of your state into a search engine.
The most convenient way to file for unemployment benefits is online. You receive a confirmation, which you can review and print.
The Amount of Benefits
The amount of unemployment benefits depends on your average earnings in the period before you lost your job. The amount also depends on the state: in New York it is roughly half of your average weekly earnings (earnings from the highest quarter divided by 26), up to a maximum of $869 a week (since October 2025), and in New Jersey 60% of average weekly earnings, up to a maximum of $905 a week (in 2026). Unemployment benefits are taxable.
Note: You will not receive benefits for the first week of unemployment.
How Long Can You Collect?
Unemployment benefits can be received for 26 full weeks within an entire year (52 weeks), which means you can receive them with breaks caused, for example, by temporary, short-term employment during the year. During the recession that began in 2008, the stimulus law provided Emergency Unemployment Compensation and extended benefits several times, so that an unemployed person could collect benefits for up to 99 weeks. This program expired at the end of December 2013. The actual duration of benefits depends on your state of residence and the unemployment rate in that state.
More information can be found in the book “Praca w Ameryce” (“Working in America”) (see pages 336–340) and on your state labor department’s website.
Elżbieta Baumgartner
Elżbieta Baumgartner is the publisher and author of many advice books, including “Jak chować pieniądze przed fiskusem” (“How to Hide Money from the Taxman”), “Jak działa giełda” (“How the Stock Market Works”) and “Jak inwestować w fundusze powiernicze” (“How to Invest in Mutual Funds”). 255 Park Lane, Douglaston, NY 11363, tel. 718-224-3492, www.PoradnikSukces.com
Updated October 2026.
