Just wanted to add that you should definitely keep detailed records of all your income from both jobs when you file. I'd recommend creating a simple spreadsheet or using a notebook to track your retail hours and freelance payments week by week. This will make filling out your weekly certifications much easier and help you avoid any issues if NYS Department of Labor ever needs to verify your reported income. Also, don't let the complexity discourage you - if your hours got cut that significantly, you're likely eligible for at least partial benefits and every bit helps!

I went through this exact situation last year! You're definitely eligible for partial unemployment benefits. The key thing to remember is that NYS Department of Labor looks at your "total weekly earnings" versus your "weekly benefit rate" to determine your partial benefit amount. Since your retail hours dropped from 25 to 8 hours per week, that's a significant reduction that should qualify you. When you file, make sure to report your base period wages from both jobs during the initial application, then report ALL weekly earnings (retail + freelance) on your weekly certifications. The system will automatically calculate what you're owed. Don't stress about the irregular freelance income - just report exactly what you earn each week, even if it's $0 some weeks and $200 others. Better to file and get some help than struggle financially!

The NYS Department of Labor website has a benefit calculator but honestly it's pretty confusing to use. I just waited until my first payment to see what I actually got. Ended up being $489 per week which was better than I expected.

Don't forget about taxes! They don't automatically withhold federal taxes from unemployment benefits so you might want to elect to have them taken out or set money aside. I learned this the hard way last year.

same thing happened to my neighbor, she just ignored it and nothing happened to her unemployment

I'd also recommend documenting everything - keep copies of all the legal papers you received, any correspondence with the debt collector, and your unemployment benefit statements. If you do need to go to court, having this documentation will help prove that your only income is protected unemployment benefits. Also, if the debt collector continues to harass you after you've informed them about the exempt status of your benefits, that could be a violation of debt collection laws and you might want to consult with a consumer rights attorney.

I went through a similar situation last year where I quit due to a toxic supervisor. Here's what I learned from the process: NYS DOL will schedule a fact-finding interview with both you and your former employer to determine if you had "good cause" to quit. During this interview, they'll ask for specific examples of the hostile behavior, dates when incidents occurred, and what steps you took to address the situation. The key is showing that the work environment was so unreasonable that any rational person would have quit. Keep all those emails you mentioned - they're crucial evidence. Also, if you filed any complaints with HR or documented conversations with colleagues about the situation, gather those too. Even though you didn't apply for other jobs first, if you can prove the environment was genuinely hostile and affecting your health/wellbeing, you still have a good chance of qualifying. Just be prepared to provide a detailed timeline of events and be completely honest during the interview process.

One thing I'd add is that NYS Department of Labor also looks at whether you made any attempt to resolve the hostile work environment before quitting. Even if you didn't apply for other jobs first, if you can show you tried to address the situation through proper channels (like talking to HR, documenting complaints, or even just trying to work it out with your supervisor directly), that can really help your case. They want to see that quitting was truly your last resort. Also, keep in mind that the appeals process exists if you do get initially denied - sometimes the first decision gets overturned on appeal if you present your case well. Don't give up if the initial determination doesn't go your way.

Just got off the phone after FINALLY getting through! Been locked out for 6 months and tried everything. Here's exactly what worked for me today: Called 800-833-3000 at 8:32 AM (Tuesday), selected Spanish (option 2), got connected to an agent in literally 12 minutes. When they picked up I said "Hi, I need English please" and they transferred me right away - no questions asked, super friendly about it. The English agent already had my call info so I didn't have to re-explain everything. She pulled up my account, asked me to verify my SSN, date of birth, and last employer. Then she asked a few security questions about my claim history. Whole thing took maybe 8 minutes and boom - account unlocked! She explained that my account got flagged because I logged in from different devices during COVID (home computer, phone, library, etc.) which triggered their security system. Makes sense but would've been nice to know that 6 months ago lol. For anyone still dealing with this - the Spanish line trick is 100% legit and the agents are super helpful once you get through. Don't waste any more time on the English line. Tuesday mornings seem to be the sweet spot. Good luck everyone! 🎉

This thread is a goldmine! I've been locked out since March 2023 and have probably called that 800 number over 200 times with zero success. The Spanish line trick sounds like exactly what I need to try - can't believe I never thought of that approach. Quick question for those who've gotten through recently: once your account is unlocked, does everything work normally again? I'm mainly worried about accessing my 1099-G forms for tax season since I can't get them anywhere else. Also wondering if there's any way to prevent this from happening again in the future? Going to try calling Tuesday morning using the Spanish line method. Fingers crossed this nightmare finally ends! Thanks everyone for sharing what actually works instead of the generic "keep trying" advice you get everywhere else 🤞