I've been filing weekly claims for about 6 months now and wanted to share a few things that have made the process smoother for me. First, regarding work search activities - I found it helpful to think beyond just job applications. Attending virtual career workshops, updating my LinkedIn profile, reaching out to former colleagues for informational interviews, and even taking relevant online courses all count toward your 3 weekly activities. I keep a simple Google Doc with the date, activity type, and brief description for each one. For earnings reporting, always err on the side of over-reporting rather than under-reporting. I do some freelance graphic design work and I report every penny, even small $25 logo jobs. NYS Department of Labor would rather see you being completely transparent than trying to hide income. One last tip - if you ever get a message saying your claim needs additional review, don't panic! This happened to me when I reported some consulting income and it just meant they needed to verify the details. As long as you've been honest on all your claims, these reviews usually resolve quickly. The key is building a consistent routine and keeping good records of everything you do and earn each week.

Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful! I just wanted to add one thing that really saved me when I started filing weekly claims - I created a simple template email that I send to myself every week with my job search activities and any earnings. This way I have a timestamped record in my email that I can easily search through if NYS Department of Labor ever asks for documentation. The template includes: Date, Company/Contact, Position/Activity Type, Method Used, and Follow-up Notes. For earnings, I note the date work was performed, type of work, and gross amount earned. It takes maybe 5 minutes each week but gives me so much peace of mind knowing I have a detailed trail of everything. Also, for anyone worried about making mistakes - I accidentally reported income on the wrong week early on (reported it for when I got paid instead of when I worked) and when I called to correct it, the representative was actually really helpful and walked me through how to handle it properly going forward. The system really is designed to help people who are making genuine efforts to find work, so don't let fear of perfection stop you from being honest and thorough in your reporting.

did u try 2 stay at the job longer? sometimes if u quit too early they say its ur fault

I went through something similar last year! The good news is that with your steady employment through November 2024, you should definitely qualify for a new claim with a decent benefit amount. A few tips from my experience: 1) File online as soon as possible - don't wait, 2) Have all your employment documentation ready including your separation notice from the 3-week job, 3) Be prepared for the ID.me verification again (it's annoying but faster the second time), and 4) When you get to the employment history section, list ALL your jobs including that 3-week position. The system will automatically calculate your base period wages from your longer employment history. With a $62k salary through November, you're likely looking at a much better benefit rate than you'd expect from just 3 weeks of work. Hang in there - you've got this!

This system has always frustrated me because it creates this adversarial relationship between workers and employers when it comes to unemployment claims. Employers have a financial incentive to deny legitimate claims, which is why so many people have to go through the whole appeals process with NYS Department of Labor even when they clearly qualify. It would make more sense if employees contributed something too so employers wouldn't have such a strong motivation to fight every claim.

Thanks everyone for explaining this! I had the same misconception as the original poster. It's actually pretty interesting how the system works - employers essentially "pre-pay" for potential unemployment claims through their ongoing tax contributions. I'm curious though, does anyone know what the current wage base is in NY? Like up to what salary amount do employers pay the SUTA tax on?

This thread has been super informative! I'm actually in HR at a small company and we get questions about this from new employees all the time. One thing that might help clarify - New York employers pay unemployment insurance taxes at both the state level (to NYS Department of Labor) and federal level (FUTA). The state rate varies based on the employer's experience rating, but employees never see any of this on their paystubs. We always tell new hires that if they don't see an unemployment deduction, that's exactly what they should expect to see!

As someone who recently went through the unemployment claims process in NY, I can confirm everything mentioned here is accurate. When I filed my claim with NYS Department of Labor, they calculated my benefits based solely on the wages my previous employers had reported - there was no mention of any employee contributions because there aren't any. The whole system is employer-funded through their unemployment insurance taxes. Just make sure your employers are correctly reporting your wages each quarter, since that's what builds your eligibility and determines your benefit amount if you ever need it.

I'm about 4 weeks into waiting for my reconsideration decision and can totally relate to the anxiety! What's helped me stay somewhat sane is treating this like a part-time job - I dedicate 1-2 hours every few days to calling, checking my portal, and following up rather than letting it consume my entire day. I've also started reaching out to local mutual aid groups on Facebook - a lot of communities have emergency assistance funds specifically for people stuck in unemployment limbo. The uncertainty is the worst part, but reading all these experiences here makes me feel less alone in this process. Definitely going to try that state senator contact tip when I hit the 6-week mark! We've got this! 💪

I'm going through this right now too - just hit the 6 week mark waiting for my reconsideration decision and the stress is unreal! Reading everyone's experiences here has been so helpful though. I've been following a lot of the advice shared - set up the text alerts, keeping detailed logs, and I'm planning to contact my state senator's office this week since I'm at that 6-8 week threshold. One thing I wanted to add is that I found out through a friend that some local credit unions have emergency hardship loans specifically for people waiting on unemployment decisions - might be worth looking into if you're really struggling with bills. The interest rates are usually way better than payday loans or credit cards. Hang in there Aisha, this whole system is broken but we're all pulling for each other! 💙