To address the repayment concern: in my experience, the DOL typically gives you a chance to explain missing documentation before demanding repayment. If you can show good faith effort (partial records, detailed explanation of your job search process), they may waive the repayment requirement. Appeals are possible but time-consuming. The key is to start keeping proper records immediately and be proactive if audited. Explain your situation honestly - many people don't realize the documentation requirements until after they've been certifying for a while.

I've been through the NY unemployment system twice (2023 and 2024) and learned the hard way about documentation. Here's my current system that's bulletproof: 1. **Weekly folder structure**: I create a new folder each week labeled "Week of [date]" with subfolders for applications, confirmations, and follow-ups. 2. **Real-time logging**: I fill out the WS5 form AS I apply, not at the end of the week. This prevents forgetting details. 3. **Activity diversification**: Monday = online applications, Wednesday = networking/LinkedIn outreach, Friday = skills development or job fair research. This ensures I hit different activity types. 4. **Screenshot everything**: Application confirmations, job posting pages, email receipts, even LinkedIn connection requests. If there's no confirmation page, I screenshot the "application submitted" message. 5. **Follow-up tracking**: I set calendar reminders to follow up on applications after 1 week, which counts as additional activity. The most important thing I learned: treat this like a part-time job. Spend 2-3 hours each day on legitimate job search activities and document EVERYTHING in real-time. It's way easier than trying to reconstruct weeks of activity later. Also, pro tip: the NY DOL considers informational interviews as networking activities. Reach out to people in your field for 15-minute coffee chats - it's great for job searching AND counts toward your requirements.

I'm 69 and was in this exact situation two years ago when my part-time retail job ended. You can definitely collect both - I received unemployment benefits for 6 months while continuing to get my full social security. The NYS Department of Labor staff I spoke with confirmed there's no federal or state law preventing this combination. Just make sure you're completely honest on your weekly certifications about your social security income and keep detailed records of your job search activities. One tip: when you're doing your required 3 weekly job searches, don't limit yourself to just younger-worker jobs - there are employers specifically looking for experienced workers. I ended up finding a new part-time position through indeed.com that valued my experience. The whole process was much smoother than I expected once I got past the initial anxiety about applying.

I'm 65 and currently collecting social security, and I was just laid off from my part-time administrative assistant position last week. Reading through everyone's responses here has been incredibly helpful - I had no idea you could collect both benefits simultaneously! I was actually afraid to apply for unemployment because I thought it might somehow affect my social security payments. It's reassuring to hear from so many people who have successfully navigated this situation. I'm planning to file my claim online this week since it sounds like that's much more reliable than trying to call. One question though - for the work search requirements, are there any age-friendly job search resources that people have found particularly helpful? I want to make sure I'm meeting the 3 weekly activities requirement effectively.

UGH the hold status is the WORST! They put my claim on hold last year for THREE WEEKS and never told me why. Just keep calling and filing your weeklies, that's all you can do with this broken system.

thanks for asking this question, i was wondering the same thing about my claim status!

I just went through this process last month and wanted to share what worked for me. After my regular benefits ended, I discovered I had enough wages from a temporary holiday job I worked in December to qualify for a new claim. The key was understanding that NYS looks at your "alternate base period" if you don't qualify under the standard one. This uses more recent quarters and can include wages earned while you were collecting benefits. I used the online benefit calculator on the NYS DOL website first to get an estimate, then called using that Claimyr service mentioned earlier to confirm with an actual representative. It took about 3 weeks to process the new claim, but I was able to get benefits again. Make sure you have all your wage documentation ready - pay stubs, W-2s, 1099s, anything from work you did during your benefit year. Also keep certifying weekly even if you're not sure about eligibility - you can always pay back benefits if you weren't supposed to receive them, but you can't get retroactive payments if you don't certify. Good luck!

I'm in a very similar situation - my benefits ended about 3 weeks ago and I've been trying to navigate this maze ever since. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly helpful! I had a couple of questions for those who've successfully filed new claims: First, when you calculated whether you met the wage requirements from work during your benefit year, did you include gross wages or just net pay? I had some freelance work in October and December but want to make sure I'm calculating it correctly. Second, for anyone who used the Claimyr service to get through to NYS DOL - approximately how long did it take to connect with someone, and were they able to give you definitive answers about eligibility on the spot? I've been hesitant to pay for a service but if it actually works it might be worth it. Also wanted to mention that I found the NYS DOL has some informational webinars listed on their website about unemployment benefits - not sure how current they are but might be worth checking out while waiting to speak with someone. Thanks to everyone sharing their experiences, it's making this whole process feel less overwhelming!

I've been trying to call NYS Department of Labor for weeks to ask about exactly this kind of situation but can never get through to a human. The automated system just tells me to check the website but I want to talk to someone about my specific case.

One thing to keep in mind is that Uber Eats earnings can be pretty unpredictable - some weeks you might make $300, other weeks maybe $50 depending on demand and how much you work. This makes it tricky to budget around your reduced UI benefits. I'd suggest starting slow with just a few hours on weekends to see how it affects your weekly benefit amount before ramping up. Also, the Uber driver app lets you track your earnings pretty easily which helps with the reporting requirements everyone mentioned.