As the 3rd most populated state in the country, New York has not escaped the recession. NYS unemployment benefits are on the minds of millions of people throughout the state.
The Statistics
As of December 2009, the statewide unemployment rate was 9%, which is the highest it’s been in 26 years. Equally important is the number of people who are unemployed: 869,000.
Despite these figures, the New York State unemployment rate at 9.0% is still below the national figure of 10.0%.
Across the state, the unemployment rate really varies by county, with Tompkins County (5.3%) at the low end, and Hamilton County (11.2%) at the high end. New York City has an unemployment rate of 10.6%. And, excluding NYC from the figures, the unemployment rate across New York state goes down to 7.8%.
NYS Unemployment Benefits
The current (January 2010) maximum weekly unemployment check in New York state is $405. With additional money from the Federal stimulus program, there is an additional $25 per week, bringing the total to $430 per week.
In New York, you are likely to be eligible to receive up to 99 weeks of unemployment benefits. Here’s the break down:
- Regular Benefits: 26 weeks
- Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC) (Tier 1): 20 weeks
- Emergency Unemployment Compensation (Tier 2): 14 weeks
- Emergency Unemployment Compensation (Tier 3): 13 weeks
- Emergency Unemployment Compensation (Tier 4): 6 weeks
- Extended Benefits (EB): 20 weeks
There you have it – nearly 2 years of unemployment benefits!
If you’re looking to see how many weeks you’ll be eligible for, take a look at the NYS Department of Labor’s UI Benefits Calculator.
Where the Jobs Are
According to the Department of Labor, the key areas adding jobs in New York are health and educational services.
If you are looking for a new job, or looking to switch into a different field, take a look at our Career Resources page.