Just wanted to chime in as someone who's been navigating NY unemployment for the past 6 months - this thread is incredibly helpful! I actually had a similar "break in claim" issue a few weeks ago but mine was caused by something slightly different. In my case, I was working irregular part-time hours (sometimes 2 days one week, 4 days the next) and the system kept flagging my certifications because it thought I was working full-time some weeks. What I learned is that if you work 4+ days in a week, you get zero benefits for that week, but you still need to certify to keep your claim active. I was skipping those weeks entirely thinking I didn't need to certify, which caused the "break in claim" error. The fix was going back and certifying for all those missed weeks, even the ones where I worked too much to get benefits. Now I certify every single week regardless of how many days I worked - it keeps the claim continuous and prevents these system errors. Just wanted to add this for anyone else who might be dealing with variable work schedules! The key is consistency in certifying, even when you know you won't get paid for that week.

having similar issue. i usually report 2 days (17-21 hrs worked) since i work part time 21 hours. But last week i only worked 10 hrs bc I fell ill. So i tried selecting 0 (0-10 hrs worked) and got the "break in claim" over and over. Then I tried to do the claim on the phone thinking it was an online issue and at the end of the prompt it submitted for processing, but it too then said I had a break and they were going to send forms for additional info! Now I cant file at all. Have to call DOL tomorrow as a result and you know what that means.. forever holding. Frustrated. Any thoughts on how to handle?

The $504 maximum is for regular unemployment but there are some special circumstances that might affect your total benefits. Like if you're on standby status or have certain types of part-time work, the calculations can be different. But yeah, $504 is the standard max for most people on regular UI.

Just wanted to confirm that $504 is indeed the current maximum weekly benefit rate for regular unemployment in NY. I'm getting $498 per week myself after being laid off from a tech job where I was making around $70k. The calculation is based on your highest quarter of earnings during your base period (the first 4 of the last 5 completed quarters before you filed). One thing to note is that you also get a dependent allowance if you have dependents - it's about $25 per dependent per week, which can add to your total benefit amount. So technically you could get more than $504 total if you qualify for dependent benefits.

Same boat here! Got laid off last month and just started my claim. The online system is pretty straightforward once you figure it out.

@Sophia Bennett - You should be fine with 8 months of work plus your previous jobs! Just make sure you have all your employment history ready when you file. The NYS system will calculate your base period wages automatically across all your jobs. One tip: file your claim as soon as possible since there's a waiting week before benefits start, and you can't get paid for any weeks you don't file. Also, if you worked in other states before New York, you might need to file a combined wage claim to include those earnings. The sooner you start the process, the sooner you'll know exactly what your weekly benefit amount will be.

UPDATE: I finally got through to someone at unemployment! For anyone who might have the same issue in the future - I uploaded my documents (though I was late) and then called using the Claimyr service that someone mentioned below. Got through to an agent who was actually really understanding. She put a note on my account about the late submission and assured me my benefits won't be interrupted. Such a relief! Thanks everyone for your help and advice!

Great to see this worked out! For anyone else reading this thread, I'd recommend setting up email notifications or calendar reminders immediately when you receive any correspondence from NYSDOL. I learned this the hard way after missing a deadline last year. Also, if you're ever unsure about any unemployment-related deadlines or requirements, don't hesitate to reach out to this community - there are clearly some very knowledgeable people here who are willing to help!

ugh the adjudication process is SO frustrating!! I've been waiting 4 weeks now and can't get through to anyone at NYS Department of Labor to find out what's going on. They really need to improve their communication about these delays.

just keep filing your weekly claims even during adjudication! thats important so you dont lose benefits for those weeks