omg this is exactly what happened to my sister except she didnt report it at first because she thought it was just a one time thing and then they found out somehow and she had to pay back like $1200 😭

I'm dealing with something similar right now! Been on unemployment for about 3 months and just started getting some freelance web development gigs. What I learned is that you need to report the income in the week you actually receive the payment, not when you do the work. So if you complete that $800 project over 2 weeks but get paid all at once in week 3, you report the full $800 in week 3. Also keep detailed records of everything - dates, amounts, what the work was for. The NYS system will calculate your benefit reduction automatically once you enter the earnings. And don't worry about the 1099 aspect affecting your claim status - lots of people do contract work while collecting. Just be honest and report everything!

This is absolutely infuriating! I'm dealing with the exact same thing - payments randomly stopped 10 days ago with just "pending" status and ZERO communication from them. I've literally called 87 times (yes, I'm keeping count because I'm going insane) and can't get through to a single human being. It's like they want us to just give up and disappear. Reading through everyone's experiences here, it's clear this is happening to tons of people and it's probably those random "verification" flags they're throwing around because of fraud concerns. The fact that they can just freeze our lifeline without even sending an email is absolutely criminal. I'm definitely going to try the assembly member route first thing Monday morning, and if that doesn't work fast enough I might have to bite the bullet and try that Claimyr service everyone's mentioning. Has anyone had luck with the Twitter approach @NYSLabor? At this point I'm willing to try literally anything. We shouldn't have to jump through these insane hoops just to find out why our own benefits got cut off!

I'm so sorry you're going through this - the system is absolutely broken! I'm in a similar boat where my payments just vanished with no explanation about 2 weeks ago. After reading through everyone's experiences here, it's clear this is happening to SO many people because of these random verification flags they're throwing around. Here's what I've learned from this thread that seems most promising: 1. Contact your assembly member's office ASAP - multiple people say they have direct lines to DOL and can get faster responses 2. Try the Twitter approach @NYSLabor - seems hit or miss but worth a shot 3. If you're desperate and can afford it, several people have had success with Claimyr.com for actually getting through to a human The fact that we're all dealing with identical situations (payments stopped, "pending" status, zero communication) makes it obvious this is systematic rather than individual account issues. Don't give up - you have every right to those benefits and answers about what happened! Keep us posted on what works for you because we're all fighting the same battle here.

The whole system is ridiculous if you ask me. You pay into unemployment insurance your whole career and then they cap how much you can get back. Meanwhile the cost of living keeps going up but the max benefit barely increases each year!

Just wanted to add some clarity on the timing aspect - if you're considering taking that full-time position, remember that your base period for unemployment benefits is calculated using completed quarters. So if you take the job now, those higher earnings won't factor into your benefit calculation until several months later when those quarters become part of your base period. NYS Department of Labor uses a lag system, so there's always a delay between when you earn the money and when it counts toward your UI benefits. Something to keep in mind for your planning!

I'm dealing with this exact same frustrating situation! After reading through all these amazing suggestions, I wanted to add one more potential source that helped me - if you have any benefit enrollment paperwork or insurance documents from your employer, sometimes the registration number appears there too. I found mine on my health insurance enrollment form from earlier this year listed as "Employer Tax ID/UI#" in tiny print at the bottom. It's worth checking any benefits-related paperwork you might have saved, including 401k enrollment forms or HSA documents. Also, if your company sent out any COVID-related communications about payroll protection or unemployment insurance changes in 2020-2022, those emails sometimes contained this information. I know it's incredibly frustrating that they don't just tell us upfront what this number is or where to find it - the unemployment process is already stressful enough without having to become a forensic accountant just to file a claim!

I'm currently going through this same exact problem and this thread has been absolutely invaluable! I've been pulling my hair out trying to figure out what this "employer registration number" even is, let alone where to find it. Reading everyone's experiences here has given me so much hope and so many different avenues to explore. I'm going to start with checking Box 15 on my W-2 since that seems to be the most successful method, then work through old paystubs, quarterly statements, and even dig through my email for any forgotten HR messages. It's honestly incredible how many different names this number can have - "SUI#", "State UI Account #", "ER UI Acct", "Employer Tax ID/UI#" - no wonder we're all struggling to find it! The fact that the NYS DOL system doesn't explain any of this upfront is just adding unnecessary stress to an already difficult situation. Thank you to everyone who shared their detective work and solutions - this community support is making what felt like an impossible task actually seem manageable!

I went through this exact situation about 6 months ago and can confirm what everyone is saying here - vacation pay absolutely needs to be reported and it will likely make you ineligible for benefits during those weeks. One thing I'd add that I learned the hard way: make sure you understand the difference between "vacation pay" and "payment in lieu of notice" if your employer offers both. My company gave me 2 weeks pay in lieu of notice (which didn't affect my unemployment) plus vacation payout (which did). Also, keep detailed records of everything - dates, amounts, which weeks it covers, etc. The DOL can and will ask for documentation later, and having it organized from the start saves a lot of stress. The system is definitely confusing but following the rules exactly is worth it to avoid overpayment issues down the road.

This is exactly the kind of detailed breakdown I needed! I'm currently in week 2 of unemployment after getting laid off from my job in Albany. My former employer just sent me paperwork showing they'll be paying out $3,200 in vacation time next Friday. Based on my previous weekly gross of $800, that works out to exactly 4 weeks of coverage. What's really helpful from reading everyone's experiences is understanding that I need to report this for the 4 weeks immediately following my last day of work, not spread it out randomly. I'm definitely going to contact my HR department to get official documentation showing the weekly breakdown - seems like that's crucial for staying compliant with DOL requirements. It's frustrating that this isn't explained clearly on the official website, but threads like this are invaluable for navigating the system properly!