I'm actually going through the exact same situation right now! Had a main job that I lost due to layoffs last month, but I had quit a small part-time job about 3 months earlier. This thread has been incredibly helpful - it's so reassuring to see so many people who've been in this exact situation and gotten approved. From everything I'm reading here, it sounds like the key is to answer NO to question 1 (since we didn't lose ALL employment due to lack of work - we quit one job voluntarily) and YES to question 1a (since our main jobs definitely paid more than $5040). The way everyone explains it makes perfect sense - they're really trying to determine if your primary income source was lost through no fault of your own, not trying to penalize you for having quit smaller side jobs earlier. I was really stressing about whether quitting that part-time position would mess up my whole claim, but hearing all these success stories has given me so much confidence. Thanks to everyone who shared their real experiences - it makes navigating this confusing system so much less scary when you can learn from people who've actually done it successfully!

I'm dealing with almost the exact same situation right now! Got laid off from my main job at a tech startup last month due to budget cuts, but I had quit a small evening tutoring job about 5 months earlier because it was interfering with my full-time work performance. Reading through all these responses has been such a huge relief - I was really stressing about those confusing questions on the NY unemployment form. It's clear from everyone's real experiences that the system is designed to focus on whether your primary income source was lost involuntarily, not to penalize you for quitting smaller side jobs. Based on all the advice here, I'm definitely going to answer NO to question 1 (since I didn't lose ALL employment due to lack of work) and YES to question 1a (since my main job definitely paid way more than $5040). It's so reassuring to see that so many people have been in this exact situation and gotten approved without issues. Thanks to everyone who shared their stories - it makes navigating this stressful process so much easier when you can learn from people who've actually been through it successfully!

The whole system is messed up if you ask me. Self employed people pay taxes but get no unemployment protection. Meanwhile people who worked traditional jobs get benefits. Makes no sense!

Ryan, definitely try applying if you had that W2 income from the community college teaching job! The key is whether you earned enough in covered wages during your base period (usually the first 4 of the last 5 quarters). Even if your photography business was your main income, those W2 wages could make you eligible. The worst they can do is deny you, but you might be surprised. Just make sure when you apply that you focus on the loss of your teaching work rather than the photography business decline, since only the W2 employment counts toward eligibility.

This whole thread is a goldmine of information! As someone who's been lurking in this community for a while, I really appreciate how everyone jumped in to help Gabriel with specific phone numbers and strategies. The NY unemployment system is notorious for being impossible to reach, so having these direct contact methods saved in one place is incredibly valuable. Special shoutout to Eloise for providing all four cancellation options - that comprehensive list should be pinned somewhere! It's awesome to see the community come together like this to help each other navigate these bureaucratic nightmares.

Just wanted to say this thread is incredibly helpful! I'm new to dealing with NY unemployment and was dreading the thought of ever having to navigate their phone system. Reading through all these tips and seeing the specific numbers that actually work gives me so much more confidence. The 518-402-0205 number for hearings and the UIABOfficialMailbox@labor.ny.gov email are going straight into my contacts. It's amazing how much time and frustration we can save each other by sharing this kind of practical information. Thanks to everyone who contributed their experiences - this is exactly the kind of community support that makes these government bureaucracy battles more manageable!

If you're having trouble getting through to NYS Department of Labor on the phone even when they're open, I had success using a service called Claimyr at claimyr.com. They help you get connected to an actual agent without waiting on hold forever. There's even a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Saved me hours of calling and getting busy signals.

Just wanted to add that if you need to speak to someone urgently about your claim, you can also try calling first thing in the morning when they reopen tomorrow (Tuesday). The lines are usually less busy right at 8 AM when they open. Also, make sure you have your Social Security number and PIN ready before calling to speed up the process. Good luck with your certification!

also make sure you're filing your weekly claims even if your initial claim is still pending! i made that mistake and it delayed everything even more

I just went through this same process last month! Here's what helped me: Once you're logged into my.ny.gov, look for the "Unemployment Services" section, then click on "UI Online Services." From there you should see options like "Claim Summary" and "Payment History" - that's where your status will show up. Mine showed "Pending - Adjudication" for about 2 weeks before it got approved. And yes, definitely start filing your weekly claims right away even while it's pending - you can't go back and claim those weeks later if you miss them. The whole process is frustrating but hang in there!