I had such a mess with this exact situation last year. Said I was returning to work, but then the job fell through after 2 days. Tried to restart my benefits and got stuck in verification hell for 3 months. Had to call over 200 times before I got through. The system is broken.

Congrats on the new job! Just wanted to add one more thing that helped me - when you do your final certification and report returning to work, make sure you have your exact start date ready. The system will ask for the specific date, not just "this week" or "next week." I made that mistake and had to call back to correct it (which was a nightmare). Also, if you're starting mid-week like November 17th (which is a Sunday if we're talking about this year), you'll still certify for that partial week but report your earnings from the new job. The system will calculate your partial benefit automatically. Good luck with the new position!

wait so you HAVE to tell them if they ask?? what if the job doesn't pay enough and i want to keep getting benefits instead

From my experience as an HR professional, employers ask about unemployment benefits for legitimate business reasons - mainly to gauge your availability and commitment level. However, there are boundaries to what they can legally ask. While they can ask if you're receiving benefits, they shouldn't be asking for specific dollar amounts or demanding to see your claim documentation. If you're receiving NYS Department of Labor benefits, just be straightforward about it. Most reasonable employers understand that unemployment insurance exists for exactly this situation - to support people between jobs while they search for new opportunities. The key is demonstrating that you're genuinely interested in the position and ready to work.

anyone else notice they always call at the most inconvenient times?? like im trying to do interviews and they keep calling during my scheduled interview times smh

Just went through this whole process myself! Had 5 calls total over 6 months - they're definitely not monthly like I thought they'd be. The timing seems totally random but they do eventually stop once you establish a pattern of compliance. My advice is to always answer unknown NY numbers during business hours and keep a simple log of your job search activities. Makes the calls way less stressful when you're prepared!

This thread has been incredibly valuable for anyone dealing with certification errors! I'm new to the community and have been reading through everyone's experiences while dealing with my own unemployment questions. What really stands out to me is how consistent the advice has been across all these different situations - act immediately, document thoroughly, and be persistent about reaching an agent. It's also reassuring to see how understanding the agents actually are when people report errors quickly, like in @cc48bca1aca9's recent success story with the Claimyr service. For anyone new to this thread, the key takeaways seem to be: use the secure portal to report the error immediately, keep detailed logs of all contact attempts, try calling at 8 AM or use the Claimyr service to get through, and ask agents to add notes to your file for future reference. The TC-FOC form that @fc89033d6fb5 mentioned is also crucial to know about. It's amazing how this community has created such a comprehensive guide for handling these stressful situations. The phone certification system clearly needs improvement, but at least people don't have to navigate these errors alone anymore!

I'm brand new to this community and currently dealing with this exact nightmare! I made a phone certification error yesterday where I accidentally said I didn't have any job contacts when I actually did complete my required work search activities. I've been absolutely panicking about potential fraud charges and penalties ever since. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been such a relief - it's incredible how many people have gone through these confusing phone system errors! I immediately sent a detailed message through the secure portal after reading all the advice here, and I'm planning to try both the 8 AM calling strategy and that Claimyr service that so many people have mentioned with success. The practical tips about documenting everything, looking for the TC-FOC form, and asking agents to add notes to your file are incredibly helpful. Success stories like @cc48bca1aca9 and @fa735b3835d3 who got their situations resolved quickly by acting fast really give me hope that this isn't as catastrophic as it feels right now. Thank you all for creating such a supportive thread and sharing your experiences. It's exactly what someone needs when they're panicking about navigating the unemployment system alone. I'll definitely update once I manage to get through to an agent!

Just be careful because some severance agreements DO include salary continuation which would count as earned income. Read your severance paperwork carefully to make sure it's truly a lump sum dismissal payment.

I went through this exact situation a few months ago. Emma is right - lump sum severance is typically not considered earned income for unemployment purposes in NY. The key thing is that it's a one-time payment for job loss, not wages for work performed. I'd still recommend keeping all your severance paperwork just in case NYSDOL ever asks for documentation, but you shouldn't need to report it on your weekly claims. Just make sure you're still actively looking for work and reporting any actual earnings from new employment!