Financial Support

COVID-19 and Long COVID can cause financial strain and unexpected setbacks, especially if your employment, or ability to pay rent and access healthcare is affected. Financial support resources can ease you through these obstacles.

Accessing Health Care

NYC Care is a health care access program that guarantees low-cost and no-cost services to New Yorkers who do not qualify for or cannot afford health insurance. There are options for all New Yorkers regardless of ability to pay or immigration status. New Yorkers who do not qualify for or cannot afford health insurance can click here to enroll in NYCCare.nyc or call 646-NYC-Care (646-692-2273).

Paid Sick Leave

Workers can get sick leave (time off), no matter their immigration status, so they can care for themselves or a family member. Employers cannot mistreat or punish workers for using or asking for sick leave.

To learn more about your right to paid sick leave, contact NYC’s Department of Consumer and Worker Protection:

Call 311 and say “Paid Safe and Sick Leave”
Email OLPS@dca.nyc.gov
Visit nyc.gov/workers

For any questions about New York State’s Paid Sick Leave Law, including the Emergency COVID-19 provision, you can contact the NYS Department of Labor at 844-337-6303 or visit their website.

Paid Family Leave for Family Care

New York State’s Paid Sick Leave Law includes benefits specifically for those caring for a family member with a serious condition.

Long COVID symptoms may qualify as a serious health condition, which means that your family member(s) may be able to take paid time off of work to care for you.

Your employer’s insurance carrier will receive and process requests for Paid Family Leave, and make your benefit payments.

In order to apply, the forms are available on New York State’s Department of Labor website. Call NYSDOL at 844-337-6303 for more information.

Disability

The Office for Civil Rights of the Department of Health and Human Services and the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice have determined that Long COVID can be considered a disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act.

You may be eligible for disability benefits due to your Long COVID symptoms.

SOCIAL SECURITY

For specific disability benefits questions and/or to apply for benefits you can speak with your local Social Security Administration office. Find your local office here.

We recommend you gather some additional information in the meantime that will support your disability claim. This additional information may include:

Documentation from a supportive Primary Care Provider (PCP) who will take your symptoms seriously
Your treatment history, which you can get from your PCP
Affidavits and witness statements from family or friends confirming your symptoms
Neuropsychological Evaluation from a PCP

You can use AfterCare’s Appointment Tips and Medical History guide to help prepare for your appointment with your provider.

Schedule an appointment with the COVID-19 Centers of Excellence to get your Long COVID symptoms looked at. Learn more here or call 212-COVID19 (212-268-4319) and press 4 to speak with an AfterCare Navigator that can help you make an appointment.

Note: Disability claims will be looked at on a case-by-case basis. Some symptoms of Long COVID may not qualify you for long-term disability.

EMPOWEREDNYC

Free and confidential financial counseling for people with disabilities in New York City. This includes people who may apply for disability benefits because of Long COVID symptoms.

EmpoweredNYC can help:

Answer general questions about disability benefits
Manage your Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits
Transition to work

Book an appointment online for EmpoweredNYC.

We recommend you gather some additional information in the meantime that will support your disability claim. This additional information may include:

Documentation from aA supportive Primary Care Provider (PCP) who will take your symptoms seriously and provide any documentation you need
Your treatment history, which you can get from your PCP
Affidavits and witness statements from family or friends confirming your symptoms
Neuropsychological Evaluation from a PCP

You can use AfterCare’s Appointment Tips and Medical History guide to help prepare for your appointment with your provider.

Note: Disability claims will be looked at on a case-by-case basis. Symptoms of Long COVID may not qualify you for long-term disability.

Access HRA

The New York City Human Resources Administration/Department of Social Services (HRA/DSS) works to fight poverty and income inequality. HRA/DSS provides New Yorkers in need with essential benefits such as:

Cash assistance
Food assistance
Emergency rental assistance

The City of New York is offering a program called the One Shot Deal, also known as the ”Rental Arrears Grant”. This program provides emergency financial assistance to NYC residents that can help with rental and utility payments. The One Shot Deal is a loan that must be paid back; however, repayment will be based on your monthly income and can be readjusted. One Shot Deals do not impact your credit score, and they do not affect your ability to secure a new apartment.

Visit Access HRA’s website to complete an application online, or call HRA at 718-557-1399 (Monday-Friday, 8am-5pm).

If you have any questions about the application process and would like further assistance with applying for the One Shot Deal via phone, you can also contact your local HomeBase location.

Funeral Assistance

COVID-19 has brought overwhelming grief to many families. As of April 12, 2021, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is providing financial assistance for individuals who have incurred COVID-19 related funeral expenses after January 20, 2020.

To be eligible for funeral assistance, you must meet these conditions:

The death must have occurred in the United States, including the U.S. territories, and the District of Columbia.
The death certificate must indicate the death was attributed to COVID-19.
The applicant must be a U.S. citizen, non-citizen national, or qualified alien who incurred funeral expenses after January 20, 2020.
There is no requirement for the deceased person to have been a U.S. citizen, non-citizen national, or qualified alien.

If you are interested in applying for this assistance, call the toll-free number to get a COVID-19
Funeral Assistance application completed with help from FEMA’s representatives.
Multilingual services are available. Call 844-684-6333 to find out more.

FEMA COVID-19 Funeral Assistance FAQ

Housing Resources

COVID-19 EMERGENCY EVICTION AND FORECLOSURE PREVENTION ACT

Prior to January 15, 2022, the New York State law prevents your landlord from evicting you for any of the below reasons:

If you have lost income; or
Increased costs during the COVID-19 pandemic; or
If moving would pose a health risk or hardship for you or a member of your household; or
If childcare or care for an elderly, disabled, or sick family member during COVID-19 has made it harder for someone in your household to have meaningful employment

Eviction proceedings were only postponed until January 15, 2022. If you are being sued by your landlord for unpaid rent, you must respond to the court petition. You can respond online, by phone or in person, OR you can find legal help with this process.

Answer the petition yourself
Find legal help here

You can submit a Hardship Declaration Form to your landlord, and if there is currently an existing eviction proceeding against you, it will be postponed until January 15, 2022.

For more information on evictions or resources for tenants impacted by COVID-19, you can visit the Mayor’s Office to Protect Tenants (MOPT) website, or call 311 and say “Tenant Helpline” for assistance.

You can also visit HRA’s Office of Civil Justice online at www.nyc.gov/civiljustice.

NEW YORK STATE’S EMERGENCY RENTAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (ERAP)

There is a new program from New York State called the Emergency Rental Assistance Program or ERAP. This program can provide eligible households with a one-time rental subsidy, which does not need to be repaid. There are no immigration status requirements to qualify for the program.

Visit New York State’s website to check your eligibility or call ERAP’s call center that is open seven days a week 8AM-7PM at 1-844-NY1-RENT (1-844-691-7368).

FOR ANY ADDITIONAL HOUSING RELATED INFORMATION AND RESOURCES, PLEASE VISIT THE MAYOR’S OFFICE TO PROTECT TENANTS WEBSITE