To be eligible to receive benefits from the EWF program, applicants must show they:
Applicants should begin collecting the following documents, which can be used to prove identity, residency, and work-related eligibility.
Please note: Applicants can submit the same documents to prove identity and residency. At least one of the documents to prove identity and/or residency must include the applicant’s photo and one must include the applicant’s date of birth. All documents submitted must be:
Applicants must provide one or more of the following documents. Each document is assigned a point value and every applicant must establish 4 points or more. All requirements above must be met for approval.
Applicants must provide one or more of the following documents, each showing their name and address within New York State. Document(s) must establish proof of residency prior to March 27, 2020 as well as current residency. Applicants may have to submit multiple documents to meet this requirement. Except for the first five documents listed below, documents establishing proof of current residency must be dated no earlier than 30 days prior to April 19, 2021. All requirements above must be met.
Applicants may qualify for EWF benefits in one of two amounts, depending on the information and documents provided below. Each document has a point value.
To qualify for the Tier 1 amount of $15,600 (minus taxes), applicants need to establish a minimum of 5 points.
To qualify for the Tier 2 amount of $3,200 (minus taxes), applicants need to establish a minimum of 3 points.
Applicants who do not provide one of the 5-point documents below must submit at least one of the 3-point documents to be considered eligible for Tier 1. For example, five 1-point documents cannot be combined for Tier 1.
NOTE: Each applicant is eligible for only one benefit payment.
NOTE: Applicants must establish that they worked and received compensation for at least 15 hours per week for a period of greater than 6 weeks in the 6-month period prior to the date they certify that they became eligible for benefits. Applicants must also be at least 18 years of age at the time of application.
For applicants filing due to the death or disability of the head of household, information and documents provided for proof of work eligibility must reflect the work history of the former head of household. Identity and residency documents, however, should still be that of the applicant. Additionally, applicants must provide:
“Head of household” is defined as a member of your household who contributed at least 50% of the financial support to your household and was at least 18 years old at the time of death or at the time of becoming disabled.
DOL will begin processing your application. If additional information or corrections are required, DOL will send you a text message or email (based on your preferred method of communication) with a link advising you to sign-in to your account for details. Once you sign-in, follow the instructions to see which documents need to be corrected or resubmitted and why. You will have 7 calendar days to respond from the date and time of the email or text notification. If a response is not received within the timeframe provided, a determination will be made based on the available information.
Applicants should diligently monitor their accounts, text messages, and emails for any status updates or requests for additional information. Text messages will be sent from (833) 586-1144 (toll free). Email notifications will be sent from EWF@labor.ny.gov. Applicants may also receive a phone call from an EWF representative if additional information is needed. In such cases, we will only be calling you from (877) 393-4697.
Once a determination is made, DOL will send you a text message or email letting you know whether your application was approved or denied.