I work as a benefits counselor and see this situation frequently. You're absolutely doing the right thing by asking about this now rather than waiting! The weekly certification system is specifically designed to capture employment changes, so when you file this week, just answer all questions honestly including your start date. One tip: keep a record of when you reported your return to work (screenshot your certification if possible) just in case you need to reference it later. The automated system will handle stopping your benefits correctly, and being proactive like this shows good faith if there are ever any questions down the line. Best of luck with your new position!

I just went through this same process a few weeks ago! The anxiety is totally understandable, but you're handling it perfectly by asking now. When you file your weekly claim, there will be a specific question asking if you worked or returned to work during that week - just answer truthfully with your start date. The system will automatically calculate any adjustments needed. One thing that helped ease my nerves was calling it a "transition week" rather than thinking of it as potentially problematic - you're just transitioning from unemployment benefits to employment, which is exactly what the system is designed to support! The fact that you're being proactive about reporting it properly shows you're doing everything right.

This is SO frustrating and you're definitely not alone! I just went through this exact same thing about 3 weeks ago. My card showed up completely empty even though my online account said $1,400 in payments had been "released." I was freaking out because I needed that money for groceries and utilities. After reading experiences like yours, I tried calling the unemployment office but couldn't get through for days. The hold times were insane and I kept getting disconnected. Finally I broke down and tried that claimyr service that people keep mentioning - I was super skeptical at first but honestly it saved my sanity. Got connected to a real person in about an hour and turns out they had flagged my account for some random "identity verification" that nobody ever told me about. The agent cleared it right away and my money showed up on the card within 48 hours. My advice: don't wait around hoping it fixes itself (it won't), and definitely check your online portal for any buried notifications or action items. Sometimes there are document requests or verification steps hidden in there that you might have missed. But most importantly, you NEED to talk to a live person to find out exactly where your payments went. Try calling at 8am sharp when they open, but if you can't get through after a few days, that claimyr thing might be worth the cost just for your peace of mind. Hang in there - you WILL get your money, it's just unfortunately way more complicated than it should be!

Ugh, this exact same thing happened to me back in October! Card arrived with $0 balance even though my online portal showed $1,680 in "released" payments. I was literally crying because my rent was already 10 days late and my landlord was threatening eviction. After reading through posts like this one, I realized it's unfortunately super common with NY unemployment. I tried the regular phone number for almost two weeks - either constant busy signals or I'd wait 3+ hours on hold just to get disconnected right when I thought I was about to talk to someone. Finally got desperate enough to try that claimyr service everyone mentions (was really skeptical at first). Got connected to an actual agent in about 75 minutes and found out they had put some random "fraud protection hold" on my account that nobody bothered to tell me about. The agent removed it immediately and said my payments would hit the card within 24-48 hours. Sure enough, all my back payments showed up exactly when she promised. I know it's terrifying when you desperately need that money, but don't give up! There ARE real people who can fix this issue, you just have to find a way to actually reach them. Try calling right at 8am when they open, but if you can't get through after a few days, that callback service might be worth considering. You will get your money - it's just way more complicated than it should be!

This is really helpful information everyone! I work in construction and have had to file claims several times over the years due to project completions and weather-related layoffs. It's good to know there's no lifetime cap - I was starting to worry I might be running out of eligibility. The key thing seems to be making sure you work enough between claims to meet the base period requirements for new claims. Has anyone here had experience with how they calculate the base period when you have gaps in employment?

I'm new to NY unemployment benefits and this thread has been incredibly informative! I just want to confirm my understanding - so there's no lifetime limit on how many times you can collect unemployment in NY, but each individual claim has a maximum of 26 weeks of benefits within a benefit year? And to qualify for a new claim later, you just need to have worked enough to meet the base period requirements again? I'm asking because I'm considering a career change that might involve some periods of unemployment while I transition between industries.

I'm new to this community but wanted to share what happened to me recently since it sounds very similar to your situation. I had a forfeit hearing scheduled about 3 months ago for underreporting some delivery driver hours - totally my fault for misunderstanding the weekly reporting form. They continued paying my regular benefits the entire time while waiting for the hearing. The key thing I learned is that they only stop payments if there's an actual determination of willful fraud, not just for reporting mistakes. Since you mentioned it was a misunderstanding about hours and not intentional, you should be okay. My hearing was actually conducted over the phone (not sure if yours will be the same), and I had all my evidence ready - work logs, screenshots of the confusing parts of the reporting system, and text messages with my supervisor about schedule changes. The whole thing took about 20 minutes and the hearing officer was very reasonable. I ended up with just 1 forfeit week as a penalty, which honestly felt fair since I did make the mistake. The most important thing is to keep certifying every week like everyone else mentioned - I almost stopped doing it out of stress but thankfully didn't! Hang in there - it sounds like you're handling this the right way by gathering evidence and being proactive. The fact that you're being transparent about it being a mistake will definitely work in your favor.

I just went through a similar situation last month and wanted to share my experience to hopefully ease your worries a bit. I had a forfeit hearing for incorrectly reporting some freelance work hours (the online form really is confusing!) and they continued paying my regular weekly benefits throughout the entire process. The key thing I noticed from reading through all these responses is that everyone who had payments continue had situations involving honest mistakes rather than suspected fraud - which sounds exactly like your case. Since you only received a hearing notice and not a formal determination stopping benefits, that's a really good sign. For the hearing preparation, I'd definitely recommend taking screenshots of the confusing parts of the reporting system like others mentioned. I also brought a simple timeline showing exactly what happened and when, which helped demonstrate it was just a genuine mix-up with dates and hours. One thing I learned is to stay calm during the hearing and just be straightforward about what happened. The hearing officer could tell I was being honest about the mistake, and I think that really helped my case. I ended up with 2 forfeit weeks, which honestly felt fair considering I did make the error. Keep certifying every week and gathering your evidence - you're doing everything right! Based on all the experiences shared here, it really sounds like you'll keep getting paid while this gets resolved.

Just went through this exact scenario two months ago when my construction job went from 5 days to just Tuesday/Wednesday for three weeks due to weather delays. Filed for partial unemployment and it was totally worth it - got around $200/week in benefits which really helped cover my bills during that slow period. The certification process was pretty straightforward once I got the hang of it. Key things: report the exact days you worked (not total hours), enter your gross pay before taxes, and keep copies of everything. My foreman actually told me I should file since that's what the system is there for. Don't let anyone make you feel bad about claiming benefits you're entitled to - you pay into this system through your work, so use it when you need it!

Had this exact situation happen to me last year when my retail job cut everyone's hours for inventory week. Only worked Monday and Tuesday (14 hours total) instead of my usual 35-hour week. Filed for partial unemployment and got approved for about $165 that week. The process was actually easier than I expected - just make sure when you certify that you mark exactly which days you worked and enter your gross earnings accurately. One tip that saved me time: have your pay stub or employer portal info ready when you certify so you can enter the exact dollar amount. Don't worry about your employer - they deal with this stuff all the time and it's built into their unemployment insurance costs. You're not doing anything wrong by claiming benefits you've earned!