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So my benefit year ended on September 10, 2023. I was told I need to file a completely new UI claim since my old one expired, which seems to align with the NYS DOL guidance that was updated on claims ending on and after July 4, 2021. According to the update I saw on the NYS Department of Labor page, "Moving forward, all claimants receiving UI benefits must file NEW claims if still unemployed at their BYE date. UI claimants will no longer receive benefits on an expired claim unless deemed not qualified for a new claim after they have reapplied." I tried filing online yesterday but kept getting error messages. I was following their recommendation that "The best way to file a new claim for benefits is online. Go to http://labor.ny.gov/signin and click 'File a Claim.'" When I finally got through, they said my new weekly amount would be $358 instead of the $487 I was getting before. That's over $100 less! I worked part time for about 3 months during my last benefit year, then went back to unemployment when that job ended. Is this why my benefit amount dropped? Do I really have to accept this lower amount? Also, I certified on Sunday for my final week on the old claim, but nothing showed up in my bank account yet. I noticed in the NYS DOL guidance that "Claimants who are unemployed during the last week of benefits of their current benefit year should certify for that week of benefits at least 24 hours before filing a new claim for benefits." I did wait more than 24 hours, but I'm wondering if filing a new claim somehow delays the payment from my last week? The website is so confusing and I've been trying to call for 2 days with no luck. I tried the automated telephone service they mentioned at 888-209-8124, but couldn't get through to anyone who could explain my benefit reduction. I'm also confused about the distinction between UI and PUA claims, since the update mentions "PUA claimants who continue to be unemployed when they reach their initial BYE date do not need to reapply for benefits. Instead, PUA claimants may continue to certify weekly while unemployed to continue receiving the benefits they are eligible for." But I'm on regular UI, not PUA, so I guess I had to file a new claim?
The NYS Department of Labor system is so confusing when you're filling it out the first time. I made mistakes too but they were able to correct mine during the adjudication process. Just be honest about what needs to be fixed when you talk to them. They deal with this stuff all the time and know people make errors.
I went through something similar about 6 months ago. Made errors on my work history dates and was panicking thinking I'd get denied. The key is to NOT file a new claim - that will just create more problems. Instead, when you get your first eligibility interview (which you probably will since your claim is pending), that's when you can explain the mistakes and they'll update your information right then. The caseworker told me they expect people to make errors on their first application and they have procedures to fix them. Just have your correct employment dates and documentation ready when they call you.
@Yuki Tanaka That s'exactly what I needed to hear! I was convinced they d'automatically deny me for the mistakes. When they called for your eligibility interview, how long after you filed did that happen? I m'trying to get a sense of the timeline so I know when to expect their call and can have all my correct documentation organized.
@Yuki Tanaka When they called for my eligibility interview, I had my pay stubs, my separation notice from my employer, and a written timeline of my actual employment dates. They mainly asked me to verbally walk through the correct information, but having the documents handy made me feel more confident and they did ask me to reference specific dates from my pay stubs. The caseworker was actually really understanding about the mistakes - she said it happens constantly with first-time filers.
I just went through this exact same issue last week! The NY unemployment system definitely has a bug with part-time work hours. When your weekly hours vary even slightly, it triggers this "break in employment" question which is super confusing. Here's what worked for me: I selected "Still employed with reduced hours" when it asked why I'm no longer working, and re-entered all my employer information exactly as I had before. The system processed it normally after that, though my payment was delayed by about 2 days. The most important thing is DON'T say you stopped working or quit - that will freeze your benefits immediately. Just treat it like the system forgot you're still employed and remind it by re-entering your info. It's frustrating but this seems to be a common glitch that many of us part-time workers deal with regularly. Your claim should be fine once you answer the questions correctly!
Thank you so much for this detailed explanation! It's such a relief to hear from multiple people who've dealt with this exact glitch. I was really worried I had somehow messed up my claim, but it sounds like this is just the NY system being its usual broken self. I'll definitely make sure to select "Still employed with reduced hours" and avoid anything that suggests I quit. Really appreciate you taking the time to share what worked for you - this community has been a lifesaver for navigating all these unemployment system issues!
I'm dealing with something very similar right now! Started a part-time retail job about a month ago and the NY unemployment system keeps getting confused every time my hours change even slightly. Last week I worked 14 hours, this week 16, and suddenly it's asking me all these questions about why I'm "no longer employed" - when I never stopped working! Reading through all these responses is so reassuring though. Sounds like this is just another wonderful feature of NY's ancient unemployment system 🙄 I'm going to try re-entering my employer info exactly the same way and selecting "still employed with reduced hours" like everyone suggests. It's honestly ridiculous that in 2025 the system still can't handle basic part-time work scenarios. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - at least now I know I'm not alone in dealing with this glitch!
I'm going through the exact same thing right now! Just started a part-time job about 2 weeks ago and the system is already acting up. It's honestly crazy that they haven't fixed this basic issue - like how hard is it to understand that people work different hours each week? Your situation sounds identical to mine. I'm definitely going to follow all the advice here about re-entering employer info the same way and selecting "still employed with reduced hours." Thanks for sharing - it really helps to know this is a widespread glitch and not something we're doing wrong!
THE WHOLE SYSTEM IS A JOKE! I've been waiting 2 months for my adjudication to clear and they keep saying someone will call me back. Meanwhile I can't pay my rent because my claim is stuck in limbo. They need to hire more people instead of making us wait forever.
I feel you, the wait times are ridiculous right now
I'm in a similar situation - been waiting 10 days for my callback. From what I've experienced, they also sometimes call from numbers that show up as "Unknown" or "Private Number" so I've been answering those too just in case. You can also try calling their main line at 888-209-8124 early in the morning (like right at 8am when they open) to see if you can get through to someone directly instead of waiting for the callback.
That's really helpful advice about calling right at 8am! I've been trying to call at random times during the day but never thought about timing it for when they first open. Do you know if that main number 888-209-8124 gets you to the same department that handles callbacks, or is it just general inquiries?
Just wanted to share my recent experience to hopefully ease some anxiety! I was in the exact same situation about 6 weeks ago - pending adjudication with no updates for what felt like forever. NYS DOL did call me after 16 days, and honestly it wasn't as scary as I thought it would be. They left a clear voicemail with a reference number and gave me 3 business days to call back. The interview was straightforward - mostly verifying the information I had already provided online about why I left my job. The whole call took about 30 minutes and the representative was actually quite helpful and patient. My biggest tip: write down all your employment dates, reasons for leaving, and any documentation you have BEFORE they call, so you're not scrambling to find information during the interview. Also, I noticed they called between 10 AM and 3 PM on weekdays, so try to keep your phone handy during those hours. Your two weeks of waiting is still within the normal timeframe, so try not to stress too much. They will contact you when they need additional info!
This is exactly what I needed to hear! Thank you so much for taking the time to share your experience, Kaiya. The timeline of 16 days and getting 3 business days to call back really helps set my expectations. I love the advice about writing down all the employment information beforehand - I'm definitely going to create a little cheat sheet with all my dates and reasons for leaving so I'm not fumbling around if they call. The 10 AM to 3 PM timeframe is super useful to know too, I'll make sure to keep my phone close during those hours. It's such a relief to hear that the representatives are actually helpful and patient rather than intimidating. Your whole response has really calmed my nerves about this whole process. Really appreciate you sharing!
I had a very similar experience with NYS DOL calling during adjudication! They reached out to me after about 19 days of pending status. What really helped me was making sure my voicemail greeting was professional and clear, and I kept a notepad by my phone with all my work history details written down. The call came on a Tuesday around 11:30 AM and they left a detailed message with a case reference number, giving me until Friday to call back. The actual interview was about 20 minutes and mostly focused on verifying the circumstances around leaving my previous job. One thing that surprised me was how thorough they were - they had clearly reviewed my entire file before calling. My advice is to also check your email regularly because they sent me a follow-up email with the same reference number after leaving the voicemail. The waiting is definitely stressful but try to stay patient - two weeks is still well within the normal range for adjudication. Keep your phone close and charged, especially during business hours!
This is so helpful, Miguel! I really appreciate you mentioning the professional voicemail greeting - I hadn't thought about that but it makes total sense. The detail about them sending a follow-up email with the same reference number is great to know too, I'll make sure to check my email regularly along with everything else. It's reassuring to hear they give you several days to call back (until Friday when they called Tuesday) and that they're thorough in reviewing your file beforehand. The notepad idea is perfect - I'm going to prepare one today with all my employment details. Thank you for sharing your timeline and experience, it really helps knowing what to expect!
Giovanni Rossi
something similar happened to me but they actually found i qualified for a higher amount after i talked to an agent! definitely worth calling. i couldnt get through for days until i used claimyr.com - finally got a human on the phone who fixed everything
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Chris King
I'm going through something similar right now - my BYE date was last month and I'm still waiting for my new claim to process. The website kept crashing when I tried to file online too. From what I've learned lurking here, the benefit reduction is unfortunately normal when you refile after your BYE date. The system recalculates based on your recent work history, so if you were mostly on unemployment during that time (like most of us), your new amount will be way lower. It's brutal but that's how it works. For your missing payment from the old claim - mine took almost 3 weeks to finally show up, so don't panic yet. Just keep certifying every week even if things look weird in the system. I'd definitely recommend trying to get through to a real person though because sometimes there are mistakes in the calculation that only an agent can fix. I keep seeing people mention claimyr.com for getting through the phone lines - might be worth trying if you're still stuck after days of calling.
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