Excluded Workers Fund Information for Employers
As you may know, the Department of Labor has launched a historic $2.1 Billion Excluded Workers Fund (EWF) 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.
Applicants to the fund have the option of submitting a letter from their employer verifying certain information about their employment and subsequent loss of work. Submission of this letter, in addition to meeting other eligibility criteria, enables workers to qualify for the highest (Tier One) benefit level.
Moreover, submitting this letter will not impact an employer’s unemployment insurance experience rating or contribution rate.
The employer letter should include the worker’s name, dates of employment, and the reason for loss of work—i.e. pandemic related. It should also contain one of the following:
- The employer’s mailing address and the address of the site, within New York State, at which the applicant was employed; or
- The employer’s New York State unemployment insurance account number or Federal Employment Identification Number (FEIN); or
- Contact information, including a phone number, for a representative of such employer who can verify the contents of the letter.
If you have any questions about EWF, including eligibility requirements as they pertain to employers, visit dol.ny.gov/ewf.
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