NYS is waiving the 7-Day waiting period for Unemployment Insurance benefits for people who are out of work due to Coronavirus (COVID-19) closures or quarantines.
Please note - the state of New York advises that it is best to apply for unemployment online, if possible. To do so, you must have an NY.gov ID. The link above includes instructions on how to create an NY.gov ID if you do not already have one.
Hours of Operation:
Hours of Operation:
d) General Instructions
1)If you are filing a new unemployment insurance claim, the day you should file is based on the first letter of your last name. If your last name starts with A - F, file your claim on Monday. For last names starting with G - N, file your claim on Tuesday. For last names starting with O - Z, file your claim on Wednesday. If you missed your filing day, file your claim on Thursday, Friday or Saturday. Filing later in the week will not delay your payments or affect the date of your claim, since all claims are effective on the Monday of the week in which they are filed.
2)Promptly file your claim, in the first week that you lose your job. You must serve an unpaid “waiting period,” equal to one full week of unemployment benefits, before you receive payments. A delay in filing may cost you benefits. You can estimate your weekly benefit amount by using the benefit rate calculator on our website. Please note that the tool gives an estimate only. It does not guarantee that you will be eligible for benefits or a specific amount of benefits. You must file an Unemployment Insurance claim to find out if you are eligible and learn your actual benefit amount.
e)Things you need to file your claim:
You can file a claim without all of these documents. However, missing information can delay your first payment.
For general assistance, call the Department of Labor Contact Center at (888) 4 NYSDOL ((888) 469-7365) between 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Press option 2 to speak to a representative at the Department of Labor Contact Center.
Unemployment Help: (general information for New York and all other states) https://www.usa.gov/unemployment
FEDERAL MORTGAGE ASSISTANCE:
Fannie Mae Assistance Options for Homeowners Impacted by COVID-19
BILLS: UTILITIES, LOAN DEBT, MORTGAGE PAYMENTS & MORE
CONSUMER FINANCIAL PROTECTION BUREAU (CFPB)
Contact your lenders and loan servicers
If you’re not able to pay your bills on time, contact your lenders and servicers to let them know about your situation. Being behind on your payments can have a lasting impact on your credit. The CFPB and other financial regulators have encouraged financial institutions to work with their customers to meet their community needs.
Credit card companies and lenders may be able to offer you a number of options to help you. This could include waiving certain fees like ATM, overpayments, and late fees, as well as allowing you to delay, adjust, or skip some payments.
When contacting your lenders, be prepared to explain:
As Americans prepare for the possible spread of the coronavirus or COVID-19, here are resources to protect yourself financially:
Since our inception, we’ve built a robust and technologically forward complaint process that handles approximately 30,000 complaints every month. Even in these challenging times, we are ready to send your complaints to companies to help you get the response you need:
Your credit reports and scores play an important role in your future financial opportunities. Learn how to manage and protect your credit during the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic:
b)The Governor of New York has announced that utility companies are barred from cutting off service, including power and heat, to customers affected by COVID-19 related illness or layoffs.
c)New York State will temporarily halt, for a 30 day period, the collection of medical and student debt owed to the State and referred to the Attorney General’s office for collection. These debts include: medical debts owed to state hospitals and veterans’ homes, student debts owed to SUNY, and debts owed by individuals, business owners, and homeowners related to oil spill cleanup, property damage, breach of contract, or fees owed to state agencies.
To apply for this temporary relief, fill out this online form or visit the OAG's coronavirus website to learn more about the suspension of payments. Individuals that are unable to fill out the online form can call the OAG hotline at (800) 771-7755 to learn more.
To provide relief to student loan borrowers during the COVID-19 national emergency, federal student loan borrowers can be placed in an administrative forbearance, which allows you to temporarily stop making your monthly loan payment. Read the borrower Q&As below to learn more, and contact your loan servicer to find out your specific options.
All loans owned by the U.S. Department of Education (ED) will have interest waived. That includes Direct Loans, as well as Federal Perkins Loans and Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program loans held by ED.For more information: https://studentaid.gov/announcements-events/coronavirus
d) March 19th Governor Cuomo announces Mortgage Relief in New York State based on financial hardship. Patrons should contact their mortgage servicers. More details will follow
a)Internal Revenue Service Coronavirus Tax Relief:
The IRS has extended the filing deadline and tax payment deadline to July 15th.
In response to the national emergency and to protect our employees, America’s taxpayers, communities and our partners, the IRS has temporarily closed all Taxpayer Assistance Centers and discontinue face-to-face service throughout the country until further notice. For more information – TAC Statement.
For further information:
b)Filing federal taxes online for free:
The IRS lists several free options for Federal taxpayers earning $69,000 or less.
c) As of March 22nd NYState Tax are still due April 15
d) Filing state taxes online for free:
New York state lists several free options for taxpayers earning $69,000 or less
e)Free Tax Assistance for New York City:
If you earned $64,000 or or less you can file online from this site
FEDERAL DEPOSIT INSURANCE CORPORATION:
In light of recent developments related to the coronavirus, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) is reminding Americans that FDIC-insured banks remain the safest place to keep their money. The FDIC is also warning consumers of recent scams where imposters are pretending to be agency representatives to perpetrate fraudulent schemes.
Frequently Asked Questions for Bank Customers Affected by Coronavirus Disease 2019 (Referred to as COVID-19):
6)SMALL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE:
a)Guidance on Essential Services Under The 'New York State on PAUSE' Executive Order
“ESSENTIAL BUSINESSES OR ENTITIES, including any for profit or non-profit, regardless of the nature of the service, the function they perform, or its corporate or entity structure, are not subject to the in-person restriction.
“(Essential Businesses must continue to comply with the guidance and directives for maintaining a clean and safe work environment issued by the Department of Health).
“This guidance is issued by the New York State Department of Economic Development d/b/a Empire State Development and applies to each business location individually and is intended to assist businesses in determining whether they are an essential business and steps to request such designation. With respect to business or entities that operate or provide both essential and non-essential services, supplies or support, only those lines and/or business operations that are necessary to support the essential services, supplies, or support are exempt from the restrictions.”
b) To request designation as an essential business, please click here.
Restrictions on requesting designation as an essential business:
Any business that only has a single occupant/employee (i.e. gas station) has been deemed exempt and need not submit a request to be designated as an essential business.
Businesses ordered to close on Monday, March 15, 2020 under the restrictions on any gathering with 50 or more participants, including but not limited to, bars, restaurants, gyms, movie theaters, casinos, auditoriums, concerts, conferences, worship services, sporting events, and physical fitness centers, are presumed to be compliant with NYS issued restrictions and must remain closed and are not eligible for designation as an essential business for purposes of this guidance.
c)Small Business Guidance and Loan Resources:
d) NYC Business Outreach:
e)Financial Assistance for Businesses Impacted by COVID-19
The City is offering small businesses with fewer than 5 employees a grant to cover 40% of payroll costs for two months to help retain employees. Businesses with fewer than 100 employees who have seen sales decreases of 25% or more will be eligible for zero interest loans of up to $75,000 to help mitigate losses in profit.
7)NEW YORK STATE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH: Paid Sick Leave
Latest news: https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/home
Paid Sick Leave:
To address the immediate need of employees affected by COVID-19 who are subject to mandatory or precautionary orders of quarantine or isolation, the new law provides the following:
Employers with 10 or fewer employees and a net income less than $1 million will provide their workers:
Job protection for the duration of the quarantine order
Guaranteed access to Paid Family Leave and disability benefits (short-term disability) for the period of quarantine including wage replacement for their salaries up to $150,000. Here's how to apply for Paid Family Leave and disability benefits.
Employers with 11-99 employees and employers with 10 or fewer employees and a net income greater than $1 million will provide their workers:
At least 5 days of paid sick leave
Job protection for the duration of the quarantine order
Guaranteed access to Paid Family Leave and disability benefits (short-term disability) for the period of quarantine including wage replacement for their salaries up to $150,000. Here's how to apply for Paid Family Leave and disability benefits.
Employers with 100 or more employees, as well as all public employers (regardless of number of employees), will provide their workers:
At least 14 days of paid sick leave
Guaranteed job protection for the duration of the quarantine order
The provisions of the quarantine legislation took effect immediately upon the Governor's signature, ensuring that New York workers are able to take advantage of these benefits now.
If you are quarantined but are working from home you do not qualify for these benefits.
You may be eligible for additional leave under NYS Paid Family Leave and disability benefits. Please call the hotline for more info.
If an employer is closed due to COVID-19 or a quarantine order, employees may immediately apply for Unemployment Insurance.
Call the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) Hotline: 1-888-364-3065
Office of the Attorney General’s Labor Bureau: 212-416-8700
8)MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES:
a)NYC Well (phone, text and online chat services):
1-888-NYC-WELL (1-888-692-9355) is a free, confidential help-line for New York City residents. You can call 24 hours per day/7 days a week. The staff of trained mental health professionals help callers find mental health and substance abuse services. NYC Well is multilingual and multicultural:
711 (TTY for hearing impaired)
You can also text WELL to 65173
b)NYC emergency services crisis team:
A mobile crisis team is a group of health professionals, such as nurses, social workers and psychiatrists, who can provide mental health services, primarily in people's homes.
There are about two dozen teams in the city, and they are available in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan and Queens.
You can request help from a mobile crisis team if you are concerned about a family member, friend, or acquaintance who is experiencing (or at risk of) a psychological crisis. You can also request a team for yourself. To request a team, call NYC Well at (888) NYC-WELL (888-692-9355).
c) SAMHSA Behavioral Health Treatment Services Locator:
The SAMHSA Behavioral Health Treatment Services Locator is an on-line source of information for persons seeking treatment facilities in the United States or U.S. Territories for mental health and/or substance abuse/addiction problems.
a)Aunt Bertha (enter zip code for local social service organizations): https://www.auntbertha.com/
b)Meals on Wheels: https://www.mealsonwheelsamerica.org/
(From the link scroll down a little bit and you will find a place to enter a Zip code. I tried two ZIP Codes and got 5 suggested locations each time).
10)FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION Avoid Coronavirus Scams
Here are some tips to help you keep the scammers at bay:
Hang up on robocalls. Don’t press any numbers. Scammers are using illegal robocalls to pitch everything from scam Coronavirus treatments to work-at-home schemes. The recording might say that pressing a number will let you speak to a live operator or remove you from their call list, but it might lead to more robocalls, instead.
Fact-check information. Scammers, and sometimes well-meaning people, share information that hasn’t been verified. Before you pass on any messages, contact trusted sources. Visit What the U.S. Government is Doing for links to federal, state and local government agencies.
Know who you’re buying from. Online sellers may claim to have in-demand products, like cleaning, household, and health and medical supplies when, in fact, they don’t.
Don’t respond to texts and emails about checks from the government. The details are still being worked out. Anyone who tells you they can get you the money now is a scammer.
Don’t click on links from sources you don’t know. They could download viruses onto your computer or device.
Watch for emails claiming to be from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) or experts saying they have information about the virus. For the most up-to-date information about the Coronavirus, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO).
Ignore online offers for vaccinations. There currently are no vaccines, pills, potions, lotions, lozenges or other prescription or over-the-counter products available to treat or cure Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) — online or in stores.
Do your homework when it comes to donations, whether through charities or crowdfunding sites. Don’t let anyone rush you into making a donation. If someone wants donations in cash, by gift card, or by wiring money, don’t do it.
Latest information and news bulletins:
11)NEW YORK ATTORNEY GENERAL
a)Guidance on Coronavirus Resources and Warnings about Consumer Scams:
Scammers commonly exploit real public health concerns and use heightened public fear to prey on consumers and profit from frauds related to those health fears. While all New Yorkers should remain vigilant and ensure they are informed, there is no cause for great concern or panic.
The Office of the Attorney General (OAG) is actively monitoring retailers for potential incidents of price gouging of necessary goods and entities selling bogus medical treatments that purport to effectively treat or cure COVID-19. Since mid-March, Attorney General James has issued several "cease and desist" orders to companies making phony health claims, including to entities marketing products as treatments for the coronavirus even though there is currently no FDA-approved vaccine to prevent the disease or treatment to cure it. https://ag.ny.gov/coronavirus
b)Report Price Gouging:
To report price gouging or scammers selling bogus medical equipment, you can call the New York State Attorney General's consumer hotline at (800) 428-9071 or file a complaint at ag.ny.gov.
You may need to take time off from work if you are sick or if a family member is sick. Your employer may have a sick leave policy that provides you with paid sick days or you may have paid sick days if you are a union member. If your employer does not have a policy or contract guaranteeing you paid sick leave, you may still have protections under certain laws. See Sick Leave above.
a)Benefits for Older Adults (search with your zip code):
b)AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF RETIRED PEOPLE (AARP)
Information and latest news for older adults:
13)U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Information on the Family and Medical Leave Act:
Workplace Safety; Wages, Hours and Leave; Unemployment Insurance Flexibilities; Support for Dislocated Workers & States; Job Corps Students; Injured Federal Workers; Federal Contractors; Supporting Workforce Needs in the Agricultural Sector
14)FEDERAL RESERVE BOARD
News bulletins from the Federal Reserve Board regarding the Coronavirus:
15)NYC COVID news (general):
New York City residents can sign up for the City’s COVID text notification system to get regular updates on the latest developments with coronavirus in New York City, by texting the word COVID to 692-692. New Yorkers can text COVIDESP to 692-692 for updates in Spanish. You will receive regular SMS texts with the latest news and developments. If you have any questions on finding medical care call 311.