I went through this exact situation about 6 months ago! Lost my main job but kept my small weekend gig. The key thing is to file your initial claim right away - don't wait. When you file, you'll report the income from BOTH jobs during your base period (the 4 quarters they use to calculate your benefits). Then each week when you certify, you report whatever you earn from your remaining catering job. The 25% reduction formula mentioned above is correct - so if you earn $200 that week, they'll reduce your benefit by $50 (25% of $200). Just make sure you're available for full-time work and actively job searching, even though you have the part-time catering gig. The NYS Department of Labor website has a partial benefits calculator that can help you estimate what you might receive.

I'm in a similar boat right now - lost my main retail job but still working a few shifts at a restaurant. From what I've learned, you definitely qualify for partial unemployment benefits in NY. The most important thing is to file your claim as soon as possible after losing your retail job, even though you're still working the catering gig. When you file, they'll look at your earnings from BOTH jobs over the past year to determine your weekly benefit amount. Then each week when you certify, you'll report your catering hours and earnings, and they'll reduce your benefit by 25% of whatever you earned that week. So if you make $150 from catering one week, they'll subtract $37.50 from your full benefit amount. Just make sure you're actively looking for work to replace that lost retail income - they'll ask about your job search activities each week. Good luck!

Just want to add that timing matters too with separation agreements and unemployment. If you're getting severance pay, that might delay when your UI benefits start even if you're approved. NYS Department of Labor has rules about how severance affects your benefit timing so make sure you understand that part too before making your decision.

I went through this exact situation about 8 months ago and it worked out fine! The key thing to remember is that NYS Department of Labor cares more about the actual reason for separation than what the paperwork says. When I filed my claim, I was completely transparent about the separation agreement and explained that while it technically said "voluntary resignation," the reality was that my position was being eliminated due to company restructuring. The UI representative I spoke with said this happens all the time and they're used to evaluating these cases. Just make sure you have documentation of the circumstances that led to the separation agreement - like emails about budget cuts, layoff announcements, or anything showing it wasn't really your choice to leave. Also, don't forget to ask HR if you can negotiate the language in the agreement before signing - sometimes they'll add a clause acknowledging the involuntary nature of the separation which makes the UI claim much smoother.

dont overthink it just file and be honest about everything. the worst that happens is they tell u to wait a week or two

I went through this same situation a few months ago. The important thing to remember is that vacation pay is allocated to specific time periods - usually the weeks immediately following your last day of work. So if you got laid off on a Friday and have 2 weeks of vacation pay coming, that pay typically covers the next two weeks. During those weeks, you might not be eligible for unemployment benefits (depending on the amount), but after that period ends, your regular benefits should kick in. Definitely file your initial claim right away though - there's usually a waiting period anyway, and you don't want to delay the process. Just be upfront about the vacation pay situation when you do your weekly certifications.

ugh this form is SO confusing!! why does the NYS Department of Labor make it so complicated??? I've started it like 3 times and keep getting different error messages. Do I really need ALL my employers from the past year and a half?? what if I can't remember exact start dates from my part time job last spring?

Been through this process twice now with NYS Department of Labor. Pro tip - save your application as you go because the system times out. Also double check that your bank routing number is correct for direct deposit. I made a typo and had to wait weeks for a paper check.

I got a similar suspicious call about 3 months ago and it turned out to be a scam. The dead giveaway for me was that they were asking for my Social Security number "to verify my identity" right off the bat. Legitimate DOL calls usually reference specific claim numbers or dates, and they'll often ask YOU to provide identifying information to them, not the other way around. Since you haven't filed recently and are currently employed, this is almost certainly a scammer trying to either steal your identity or get you to provide personal info they can use fraudulently. Trust your instincts - when something feels off, it usually is.

I've been working in fraud prevention for a bank and we see these unemployment scam calls constantly. The scammers have gotten really sophisticated - they'll spoof legitimate government numbers and even have some basic info about you from data breaches. A few red flags to watch for: 1) Calling about claims you didn't file, 2) Asking you to verify SSN/personal info over the phone, 3) Creating urgency like "your benefits will be stopped" or "legal action will be taken." The real NYS DOL is swamped and barely calls people back who ARE actively filing claims, so an unsolicited call to someone who hasn't filed in over a year is almost certainly fraudulent. Good instinct to be suspicious!