I was in a similar spot last year where I needed to reach someone at NYS Department of Labor to get clarification on my work history and earnings. The phone lines are always swamped, but I found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that actually got me through to an agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Saved me hours of calling and getting disconnected. Might be worth checking out if you need to speak with someone directly about your specific situation.

This whole system is ridiculous honestly. You work and pay into unemployment insurance but then when you actually need it there's all these hoops to jump through. The earnings requirements basically shut out anyone who's been working part time or just starting out.

The real issue is when people get comfortable and stop seriously looking. I've seen people drag out their claims and then struggle when benefits end. As long as you're meeting the NYS Department of Labor work search requirements and genuinely pursuing opportunities, you're fine. Just don't get complacent.

Been there! I was so stressed about finding work quickly that I almost took a terrible job. A friend reminded me that I paid into unemployment insurance for years and deserved to use it properly. Took my time, found something great. The stigma is mostly in people's heads.

honestly the whole immigration system is so unpredictable these days that even if unemployment technically shouldn't matter, you never know what officer you'll get. my friend got questioned about everything during her interview, even stuff that wasn't supposed to be relevant

While there's always some uncertainty in immigration cases, unemployment insurance really is treated differently than public assistance programs. The key distinction is that UI benefits are based on your previous work history and contributions, not financial need. As long as you're meeting the income requirements for sponsorship and can demonstrate ongoing efforts to find employment, this shouldn't be a significant concern for the adjustment of status case.

ugh the whole system is broken!! they deny claims left and right and then wonder why homelessness is rising and families are falling apart. I was denied too for 'insufficient wages' even though I worked full time for 2 years. TOOK FOREVER to get it straightened out and by then I was already behind on everything. The stress alone makes you sick which costs the healthcare system more money

You raise good points about community impact. In my case I'm dealing with standby status because of seasonal work and even that creates uncertainty for planning family expenses. When people don't know if their unemployment will continue, they can't make stable housing or childcare decisions.

the whole unemployment system is such a mess anyway, federal or state doesn't matter when you can't even get through to anyone at NYS Department of Labor to ask basic questions about your claim!! been waiting 3 weeks just to find out why my payment was reduced

Same here with the confusion about federal vs state rules! I thought everything was federal but turns out NYS Department of Labor has a lot of control over the specifics.