I work as a benefits counselor and can confirm that outpatient treatment should not disqualify you from unemployment benefits in NY. The key criteria is "able and available for work" - and since your program is only 12 hours per week, you clearly meet this standard. When you certify weekly, you'll answer yes to being available for work. If questioned, explain it's medical treatment that doesn't interfere with full-time employment. Many people receive unemployment while managing medical appointments, therapy, or other health needs. The fact that you're proactively addressing your health actually demonstrates responsibility that most employers would respect. Focus on your job search during your available hours and keep good records. You're making a positive choice for your future - don't let benefit concerns delay getting the help you need.

I'm a social worker who has helped clients navigate this exact situation many times. You're absolutely eligible for unemployment benefits while in outpatient treatment! The NYS DOL defines "available for work" as being able to accept suitable employment, and a 12-hour weekly treatment schedule clearly doesn't prevent that. In fact, many employers today are very supportive of employees in recovery programs. When you file your weekly certifications, just answer honestly that you're able and available for work - because you are! The treatment schedule is manageable around any work schedule. I always tell my clients that taking care of your health makes you a better employee in the long run. Don't let this worry stop you from getting the help you deserve. You've got this!

I just went through this exact same process last week after finding myself in an identical situation! Reading through all these responses has been incredibly validating - I was also panicking about potentially committing fraud by handling this wrong. Like many others here, I initially thought I'd just stop filing weekly claims, but after seeing @Chris King's professional advice about avoiding overpayment issues and @Genevieve Cavalier's tip about reporting the FIRST day of work (not the last day of benefits), I knew I needed to do this properly. I followed everyone's directions to find the "Report Work and Earnings" section on my.ny.gov - it's exactly where @Luca Marino and others described on the unemployment dashboard. The form was super straightforward and I got the confirmation email from NYS Department of Labor within a few hours. What really surprised me is how much smoother the online process is compared to their phone system. This thread should honestly be bookmarked by anyone dealing with NYS unemployment - the step-by-step guidance here is better than anything I found on the official website! Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences so thoroughly!

I just want to add a huge THANK YOU to everyone who contributed to this thread! I was in the exact same situation as @Lucas Kowalski - just got hired and was completely confused about how to properly handle my unemployment claim with NYS Department of Labor. I was literally about to just stop filing weekly claims and hope that was enough, but after reading through all these detailed experiences I realized how important it is to officially report your return to work. Following everyone's step-by-step directions, I found the "Report Work and Earnings" section on my.ny.gov exactly where @Chris King, @Luca Marino, and others said it would be - right on the unemployment dashboard. The whole process took less than 5 minutes and I received a confirmation email from NYS Department of Labor within 2 hours! This community has saved me so much time and anxiety compared to trying to navigate their phone system. For anyone else in this situation, definitely take the few minutes to do this properly rather than just stopping your weekly certifications. Having that official documentation gives you real peace of mind. This thread should be pinned as a resource - the collective wisdom here is incredible!

Reading through this entire thread has been so eye-opening! I've been on unemployment for about 3 months now and have been terrified of making a mistake like this. The fact that so many people have accidentally clicked the wrong button really shows how poorly designed the certification interface is. What strikes me most is how helpful this community has been compared to the official NYSDOL resources - you all provided more useful information in one thread than I've found anywhere on their website! I'm definitely going to start using the checklist method that @Mason Stone mentioned and keep this thread bookmarked in case I ever need it. It's also really encouraging to see that the actual agents are understanding and helpful once you get through to them. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences, especially @Anastasia Romanov for following up with the resolution!

Wow, this thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm new to the unemployment system and honestly had no idea that certification errors like this could happen or how to fix them. Reading everyone's experiences has been both reassuring and educational. It's pretty shocking that in 2025 there's still no way to edit your answers after submission - like others mentioned, even basic shopping sites have better error prevention! I'm definitely going to use the checklist method and take my time with each question. It's also great to know that mid-morning seems to be the best time to call if issues arise. Thank you all for creating such a supportive thread with actual practical advice - this is way more useful than anything I've found on official government sites!

I'm in a really similar situation and this thread has been a lifesaver! My hours at a hardware store got slashed from about 35 to 13 per week starting 6 weeks ago. Management keeps saying it's "temporary" but nothing has improved. After reading everyone's success stories, especially @Jamal Brown and @Savannah Vin, I realize I need to be way more systematic about documenting everything. I've been keeping my schedules but I haven't been following up conversations in writing like you all mentioned. I'm planning to send a formal email this week requesting restoration of my hours with a specific timeline for their response. The financial stress is killing me - I can barely cover my car payment let alone rent. Has anyone dealt with a situation where HR and your direct manager give different answers about whether hours can be restored? My supervisor says it's out of their hands but HR hasn't been helpful either. I want to make sure I exhaust all internal options before quitting so my unemployment case is solid.

I'm new to this community but dealing with a very similar situation - my hours at a clothing store just got cut from 28 to about 10 per week last week. Reading through all these experiences has been incredibly eye-opening! @Jamal Brown and @Savannah Vin's success stories give me real hope that this could work if I handle it properly. I'm definitely going to start documenting everything immediately - taking screenshots of schedules, keeping detailed notes of conversations, and planning to send a formal written request to restore my hours. The advice about waiting a reasonable amount of time to show good faith effort makes total sense, even though the financial pressure is already mounting. Has anyone had experience with employers who claim the cuts are "company-wide" or due to "corporate policy changes"? I'm wondering if that changes how you approach building your case or if the same documentation principles apply. Thanks to everyone sharing their experiences - it's making me feel much less alone in this situation!

Just stopped mine last month when I started a new job. Everything worked out fine when I reactivated it 4 weeks later after the job ended. Just make sure you keep track of any work you do during the gap because they will ask about it.

I was in a similar situation a few months ago. You can definitely stop certifying and restart later - your claim won't disappear immediately. But here's what I learned the hard way: if you do get that part-time job, you're better off continuing to certify and reporting the hours/earnings rather than stopping completely. NYS allows you to work part-time and still collect partial benefits, and it keeps your claim active. When I stopped for 5 weeks and then restarted, they asked a lot of questions about what I was doing during the gap, and the whole reactivation process was more of a hassle than just staying active would have been. Plus you maintain your job search contacts requirement even when not certifying.