Just wanted to add some practical advice - when you file your weekly claims, keep detailed records of your hours and earnings from both jobs. I use a simple spreadsheet to track everything week by week. Also, if your delivery job pays through apps like DoorDash or Uber, make sure you're tracking those 1099 earnings carefully since they don't withhold taxes. The NYS Department of Labor will want accurate gross earnings reported, and having good records will save you headaches if they ever audit your claim.

I went through this exact situation about 6 months ago! Had a part-time office job that cut my hours from 30 to 10 per week, plus I was working weekends at a catering company. The NYS Department of Labor was actually pretty helpful once I got through to them. The key thing is that you're eligible for partial unemployment benefits because you had a "qualifying reduction in hours" - doesn't matter that you still have the other job. Just make sure when you file that you use the retail job (the one that cut your hours) as your primary employer for the claim. You'll still need to report all income from both jobs each week, but as long as your total weekly earnings are below your weekly benefit amount plus the $50 disregard, you'll get some benefits. With your current $180/week total, you should definitely qualify for something. Good luck!

I've been through this exact situation and can share some reassurance! I was on NYS unemployment for about 7 months and went through several background checks during my job search. Not once did my unemployment claim show up. The background check companies simply don't have access to that information - it's protected by privacy laws. What I did find helpful was preparing a brief, honest explanation for any employment gaps that might come up in interviews. Something like "I was laid off from my previous position and have been actively job searching while collecting unemployment benefits" worked well for me. Most employers completely understand that people sometimes need to rely on unemployment insurance - that's exactly what the system is designed for! Don't let this worry derail your confidence going into these interviews. Focus on showcasing your skills and experience instead.

I can add another data point here - I was on unemployment for almost a year and went through background checks at 3 different companies during my job search. None of them ever mentioned or asked about my unemployment benefits. The background check reports I was able to review only showed employment history verification, education confirmation, and criminal background (which was clean). Your NYS Department of Labor claim information is completely separate and protected. The only "gap" that showed up was in my employment timeline, but I just explained during interviews that I was laid off and had been job searching. Most hiring managers these days totally understand that unemployment happens and that the benefits exist for exactly this reason. Don't let this stress overshadow your interview prep - you're going to do great!

I'm dealing with this exact same issue! Just tried to certify today and couldn't find that "Certify to Claim Your Weekly Benefits Here" button anywhere. The email instructions are completely useless - it's like they're describing a totally different website. Thanks to everyone who shared the real steps! Just to confirm what worked for me: 1. Log into labor.ny.gov 2. Click "UNEMPLOYMENT SERVICES" (not any of the other dashboard options) 3. Scroll down and look for "Claim Weekly Benefits" - it's just a regular text link buried in the list, NOT the prominent button described in emails 4. Using Chrome definitely helps - had display issues with Safari It's honestly ridiculous that NY DOL can redesign their entire website but can't update a simple email template. I wasted so much time looking for that non-existent button! This thread has been way more helpful than any official instructions. Really appreciate everyone taking the time to share the actual working process - you're saving people hours of unnecessary frustration! 🙏

I'm having the exact same problem! Just tried to certify this morning and couldn't find that "Certify to Claim Your Weekly Benefits Here" button anywhere on the site. The email instructions are completely outdated and don't match the actual website interface at all. After reading through all these helpful responses, I tried clicking on "UNEMPLOYMENT SERVICES" from the main dashboard and scrolling down to find "Claim Weekly Benefits" as a regular text link (not the big prominent button the email describes). That finally worked for me! It's really frustrating that NY DOL redesigned their entire website but never bothered to update the email templates that thousands of people depend on every week. This is causing so much unnecessary confusion for people who are already stressed about unemployment. Thanks to everyone who shared the actual working steps - this community thread has been way more helpful than the official instructions! For anyone else struggling with this: ignore the email directions completely and just look under the Unemployment Services section for that plain text link.

Just make sure you update your address with PA immediately. I forgot to do that when I moved and it caused all sorts of problems with my payments getting delayed.

I went through this exact situation last year when I moved from Ohio to NY. The key thing is to file your initial claim with Pennsylvania since that's where you worked and earned your wages. Once you have your PA claim established, you'll need to register with the NYS Department of Labor's job search system to fulfill any work search requirements. PA and NY have agreements in place that make this process smoother than it sounds. Just be prepared for some paperwork and make sure to keep both states informed about your job search activities. The good news is you don't lose your benefits just because you moved!

I went through something similar last year and want to share what worked for me. I called NYSDOL at 8:30 AM on a Tuesday (seems like early mornings on weekdays work best) and was honest about forgetting to include a part-time job from my base period. The agent was actually really understanding and walked me through the monetary redetermination process right over the phone. They had me email copies of my W-2 and final pay stub to a specific address they gave me, along with a brief letter explaining the oversight. The whole thing was resolved in about 2-3 weeks. In my case, adding the job actually increased my weekly benefit amount slightly, so they sent me a small back payment for the difference. The key things that helped: 1) I called them instead of waiting for them to find it, 2) I had all my documentation ready, and 3) I was completely upfront that it was an honest mistake. Don't stress too much about it - they really do see this kind of thing regularly!

I actually work for a benefits consulting firm and see these situations frequently. The good news is that NYSDOL is generally reasonable about genuine oversights, especially when you self-report. A few practical tips: 1) When you call, ask specifically for a "monetary redetermination due to unreported base period wages" - using this exact language will get you to the right department faster. 2) Have your Social Security number, original claim confirmation number, and the employer's name/EIN ready before calling. 3) They'll likely ask you to estimate your total earnings from that job, so calculate that beforehand. The process typically takes 2-4 weeks once they receive your documentation, and you'll get a written determination in the mail explaining any changes to your benefit amount. Don't worry about fraud allegations - those are reserved for cases involving intentional deception or patterns of non-disclosure.