In order to qualify for funds, you must:
What should I do after submitting my application?
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Prove your identity by gathering 4 points (similar to the Green Light Law)
Worth 4 points each
- Non-expired New York state driver's license or non-driver identification card
- A non-expired United States Passport
- An IDNYC identification card
Worth 3 points each
- non-expired passport issued by a country other than the United States
- NYS Learners Permit
- US Military ID
- Any federal, NYS, or local government-issued photo ID that does not say "not for identification purposes"
- Photo ID issued by an educational institution, College/University photo ID
Worth 2 points each
- NYS office of mental health photo ID card
- US/Foreign passport (expired less than 2 years ago)
- Foreign Driver's License (includes your photo and expired 2 or fewer years ago)
- USCIS (immigration) documents including I-94, Form I-797, I-797A, or I-797D
- ITIN assignment letter (i.e. the letter you get from the IRS when you receive an ITIN)
Worth 1 point each
- Marriage certificate or divorce decree
- New York state inpatient photo identification card
- Non-expired parks and rec membership card
- Foreign birth certificate
- Consular ID card (or any other photo ID issued by another country to its citizens)
- Diploma or transcript from a high school, college or university in the US
- Non-photo ID issued by a federal, NYS, or local government other than those already listed that does not say "not for identification purposes"
- Photo ID card issued by an employer
- Photo ID issued by an NYS charitable organization in which you received services or participated in organizational programs prior to April 19, 2021
- A written employment offer, pay stubs, or notice of pay documents provided to the applicant by an employer
Prove your residency with one of the following:
- A non-expired NYS drivers license; OR
- Non-driver ID; OR
- NYS learner's permit issued by DMV; OR
- An IDNYC that expired in 2020, 20201, or is currently valid; OR
- State or federal tax filing or return; OR
- Two of the following, one dated before March 27, 2020, and one dated on or after March 20, 2021:
- Copy of a utility bill (e.g. ConEd, gas, or phone bill)
- A current lease (or sublease), mortgage payment, or property tax statement
- Paystub
- Employment offer or notice of pay showing your employer provided housing located in NYS
- Medical statement, bill, or record
- Insurance statement, bill, or record (including renter's, homeowners, life, and auto insurance)
- Bank or credit card statement
- Jury summons, court order, or other document from a NYS court or administrative law forum
- Letter attesting to your past and / or current residency from any of the following institutions:
- A homeless shelter indicating you currently reside at the shelter
- Homeless services provider / Non-profit or religious institution that provides housing to homeless individuals
- Domestic violence services provider or program in NYS that provides services to domestic violence survivors
- NYS charitable organization that provided services to the applicant prior to April 19, 2021 and can attest to the applicant's residency
- Letter addressed to you from NYCHA
- Document from a federal, NYS, or local entity (for example, a school district) EXCEPT documents from the NYS Department of Labor related to your EWF application
NOTE: If you have a letter that attests to both past and ongoing residency, you have met the residency requirement and do not need to demonstrate residency with a second document. (linked to “letter attesting past or current residency)
Please note:
- You can submit the same documents to provide identity and residency
- At least one document for identity and/or residency must have your photo (unless you have a caretaker who can show proof of relationship)
- At least one document for identity and/or residency must show your date of birth
- All documents must be:
- Certified by the issuing agency
- Unexpired unless otherwise noted
- In English, or accompanied by a certified English language translation
- Not mutilated or damaged
Demonstrate your Work History
Applicants may be eligible for Tier 1 ($15,600 pre-taxes) or Tier 2 ($3,200 pre-taxes) of the Excluded Worker Fund.
Tier 1 = 5 Points
You need 5 points to access Tier 1: you can use one 5-point item, two 3-point items, or one 3-point item plus two 1-point items.
Tier 2 = 3 points
You need 3 points to access Tier 2: you can use one 3-point item or three 1-point items.
The application is split into item categories. You can provide a single document or a set of documents for each item category. No document or "set of documents" can be counted more than once. An example of a set of documents is the following: If you provide 7 text messages and an email all demonstrating a work relationship with your employer, you will only earn 1 point for all 8 documents because they are all in one category type.
5-point documents
- A state tax return (Form IT-201) for tax years 2018, 2019, or 2020 using a valid ITIN or SSN number
- A letter from an employer showing dates of work and why you are no longer employed, and at least ONE of the following:
- Employer's mailing address & the address of your worksite (within NYS) AND
- Contact information including a phone number of someone who can verify contents of letter; OR
- Employer's Unemployment Insurance account number /Federal Employment Identification Number (FEIN).
- At least six weeks of pay stubs/wage statements from the 6 months prior to when you became eligible for benefits or lost income
- A W-2 or 1099 form for tax years 2019 or 2020 showing wages or income
- A Wage Theft Prevention Act (WTPA) Wage Notice given by an employer at time of your hiring showing you were employed in the 6 months before becoming eligible for benefits or lost income
NOTE: Self-employed workers can provide their own letters of employment that meet these requirements. You can find a template here. These must be submitted in English. To self-certify your translation, submit this document in English with the appropriate information.
3-point documents
- An unpaid wages or other claim, complaint, or equivalent document filed with a governmental agency that shows you:
- worked in NYS prior to April 19, 2021, AND
- received or should have received wages for more than 6 weeks in the 6-month period before you lost employment/income
- Evidence of regular direct deposits, deposits, or transfers from an entity or from a person unrelated to you, such as:
- Statements from financial institution (e.g. bank, credit union, coop)
- Receipts from check-cashing (e.g. Western Union, Walmart)
- Transaction logs from payment app (e.g. Zelle, Venmo, Cash App, PayPal)
1-point documents
- Employer issued ID badge
- Emails, text messages, social media posts or other written communications relating to delivery order sheets, work invoices, point of sale receipts, directions or instruction from employers
- Emails, text messages, social media posts or other written communications between an applicant and an employer or hiring party showing the existence of a work relationship
- Evidence of recurring cashing of paychecks and/or remittances related to earnings such as: bank statements, receipts from check cashing, transaction logs from a payment app
- Documents or materials issued by an employer to an employee, including documents that include:
- Employer's mailing address OR
- Employers NYS unemployment insurance account number or Federal Employment Identification Number (FEIN) OR
- Contact information, including a phone number of employer's representative
- Receipts or records showing a pattern of commuting to and from a work location such as:
- Toll records
- Parking receipts
- Public transportation records
- Letter attesting to your employment history issued by a charitable (nonprofit) organization that had direct knowledge that you worked for at least 6 weeks of the 6 months before April 19, 2021
What should I do after submitting my application?
You should receive a Claim ID after submitting your application. Save this code for future reference. Pay attention to your phone and/or email in case DOL contacts you regarding your application.
Next: Gathering your Documents
Return to main Excluded Worker Fund table of contents