If you did work but for some reason the registry didn’t receive this information then you might be able to continue working while your information is processed and you are recertified otherwise I think you won’t be allowed to do so. Since you don’t mention if your CNA license expires because you didn’t work the required hours in the past 24 months or for another reason, you should contact the registry at 800-321-6443 or the Bureau of Credentialing at 518-408-1297 or via email at profcred@health.ny.gov to get a definitive answer.
Federal and State regulations require nursing homes to verify each nurse aide's certification status, as well as the status of all potential staff, with the state's Nurse Aide Registry prior to employment or use in the facility. If you have not worked for pay for a minimum of seven hours during the previous 24 consecutive months, or your health care employer is not approved by the New York State Department of Health, your certificate cannot be renewed. In this case you will be required to retrain, retest or both in order to regain your active status on the registry.
A New York State Nursing Home Nurse Aide Certificate is valid for 24 months. It expires two years from the last day of the month in which you were certified. You will be mailed a reminder notice approximately 45 days before your certification expiration. The notice will go to your home address currently listed on the registry. It is not necessary for a nurse aide to receive this reminder notice or for the nurse aide to take this notice to the nursing home or NYS-approved nurse aide employer. Nursing homes are required by state regulations to submit the nurse aide’s recertification application and fee.
To be eligible to recertify, you must have worked for pay as a nurse aide in a NYS nursing home or at a NYS-approved nurse aide employer for at least seven hours within the previous 24-month period. All New York State licensed Residential Health Care Facilities are approved as nurse aide employers. If you currently work for a NYS nursing home or a NYS-approved nurse aide employer, your employer must recertify you and pay the recertification fee. This includes any nurse aide employed by and paid by a staffing or employment agency who physically worked in the nursing home as a nurse aide but did not work for the nursing home. You should contact your current or most recent employer about your recertification if you meet the requirements but they didn’t report your employment.
If you are currently working as a nurse aide in a NYS nursing home or for another NYS-approved nurse aide employer, you will be recertified for 24 months from the last day of the month in which your current certification expires. If you are not currently working, you will be recertified for 24 months beginning from the last day you worked as a NYS nurse aide at the NYS-approved nurse aide employer. The last work date is reported on the recertification form by your last employer.
If you are eligible to be recertified, the nursing home where you were last employed is responsible for completing and submitting your recertification form and paying the recertification fee. When your NYS Nurse Aide Registry recertification form is processed and you are determined eligible for renewal, a new certificate and wallet card showing your new expiration date will be mailed to you and the registry will be updated with your current information.
Should a nurse aide be determined ineligible for renewal based on an incomplete form, nonpayment, nonfulfillment of employment requirements, forms submitted too early or because of a hold placed by the NYS DOH, a notice will be sent directly to the nurse aide at her or his address of record. If additional information is required, the nurse aide will be advised to contact the employer who submitted the NYS NAR recertification form for resubmission of the missing information or fees.