NYS Department of Labor

Good afternoon –

Applications for the Excluded Workers Fund (EWF) are now being accepted.  As you know, the $2.1 billion fund was created to support New Yorkers who could not get unemployment, pandemic, or other federal relief benefits. It is the first entirely state-run and state-funded program in the country to support workers who did not qualify for government-issued economic relief.

The multi-lingual application can be found at ewf.labor.ny.gov.

Program Information

Multi-lingual FAQs are available at dol.ny.gov/ewf, with additional program information. The FAQs include information on qualification requirements, benefit amounts, and documents needed for applicants to verify identity, residency, and work history. Funds will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis, so those eligible are encouraged to apply as soon as possible.

Application Assistance

NYS DOL has resources available to assist individuals with the application process:

  • PUBLIC: Community-based organizations will play a critical role in providing in-person outreach and assistance to EWF eligible populations. Recently, community engagement grants were awarded to approximately 70 not-for-profit organizations across the state to provide direct application assistance, education, and training.
  • PUBLIC: Step-by-step videos are available that go through the application in English, Spanish, and Chinese.
  • PUBLIC: A virtual assistant is available on the DOL website and phone to answer frequently asked questions and help walk applicants through the process. Individuals can also schedule a call back to receive help in their native language from a live representative.
  • DISTRICT OFFICE ONLY: The DOL team recently hosted a series of virtual courses for elected official offices to provide you with the information needed to help your constituents apply. Elected officials and their staff can sign up for additional training sessions here.

Release of Benefit Payments

Approved applicants will receive a one-time payment on a Visa® prepaid card mailed to the address provided in their application. The card has ATM access and can be used everywhere Visa® debit cards are accepted in the U.S.

From the date of application, fund administrators estimate that review and processing will take approximately six to eight weeks. If an application is incomplete or requires additional information or documents, it may take longer to process the application. As EWF is a new program and volumes are difficult to estimate, timeframes are subject to change.

Avoiding Fraud

Eligible applicants are encouraged to apply only on the Excluded Workers Fund website or with the help of trusted community-based organizations. Fraudulent activity can be reported to the Attorney General’s Office at (800) 771-7755.

For more information, visit our EWF homepage at dol.ny.gov/ewf.

 

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NYS DOL