The New York State Department has launched a new application for New Yorkers to apply for traditional unemployment insurance or the new COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Assistance.

Prior to today, due to what DOL calls “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 fill out one form to get the correct benefits.

DOL has also 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.

The updated unemployment benefits application system, available at https://unemployment.labor.ny.gov/, 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 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; or a primary caregiver for a child unable to attend school or another facility due to COVID-19,

It also covers 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.