update us when u hear back!! i hope they fix it fast for u!

I went through something very similar in 2023! The same exact scenario - overpayment issue followed by a mysterious "job refusal" letter that made no sense. In my case, it turned out to be a data entry error where they accidentally linked someone else's job refusal to my claim number. What saved me was getting everything in writing. When I finally got through to an agent (took forever), I asked them to email me a summary of what they found and corrected in my file. That written confirmation became crucial when the same error popped up again a month later. Also, when you respond to the letter, be very specific about your job search activities during that time period. List the actual jobs you DID apply for around March 1st if any, to show you were actively seeking work, not refusing it. This helps demonstrate the letter is clearly wrong. Stay strong - these system errors are frustrating but they do get resolved eventually!

honestly the whole system is rigged against working people anyway. they want you to stay unemployed but then punish you for trying to get back on your feet. meanwhile it takes them forever to process claims but they can catch you working in no time

I went through this exact situation last year. The key thing to understand is that partial unemployment benefits exist for a reason - you're supposed to report work and they'll calculate what you still qualify for. In my case, I was earning about $300/week part-time and still received around $200 in unemployment benefits. The formula basically allows you to earn up to a certain amount before they start reducing your benefits dollar-for-dollar. As for detection, they caught my friend who didn't report within about 2 months through the quarterly wage matching system. My advice: report it now, even if you missed a week or two. You can often backdate corrections and it's way better than dealing with fraud charges later.

ugh the whole base period thing is such BS... like why cant they just use your last 12 months of work like a normal person would expect

I went through this exact same situation! The key thing to remember is that your base period is always one quarter behind because of processing delays. So even though you worked July-August 2024, those wages won't show up until your next benefit year if you need to reapply. It's frustrating but the system is designed this way to ensure all employer wage reports are complete. Make sure to keep all your pay stubs from that restaurant job - sometimes there can be discrepancies between what you earned and what employers reported to NYS Department of Labor.

Sorry to hear about your layoff Ethan. Yes, you absolutely qualify for unemployment benefits since your position was eliminated due to downsizing - that's considered involuntary separation through no fault of your own. When you file your claim online at labor.ny.gov, you'll need your Social Security number, driver's license, employment history for the past 18 months, and details about your separation. The system will ask your employer to verify the reason for termination, but since they already told you it was downsizing and not for cause, you should be good to go. File as soon as possible since there's typically a one-week waiting period before benefits begin. Don't worry too much about proving it wasn't your fault - the burden is on the employer to show misconduct if they want to contest your claim.

Hey Ethan, really sorry to hear about your situation but you're definitely eligible for unemployment benefits since you were laid off due to downsizing. That's exactly what the system is designed for - involuntary job loss through no fault of your own. I went through something similar a few years back and the process was pretty straightforward once I got started. Make sure to file your initial claim online at labor.ny.gov as soon as possible since benefits are calculated from when you file, not when you lost your job. You'll need basic info like your SSN, employment dates, and your employer's details. Since your manager already confirmed it was downsizing and not performance-related, you shouldn't have any issues with approval. The hardest part is usually just waiting for that first payment to come through. Hang in there!

just a heads up that once your regular UI runs out theres no more extensions like there were during covid. so make sure you're really looking for work and not just going through the motions

One thing to also keep in mind is that your benefit year has an end date regardless of your balance. Even if you still have money left, your claim expires exactly one year from when you first filed. You can find this date on your monetary determination letter or in your online account. So if you filed in June 2024, your claim ends in June 2025 no matter what. This caught me off guard when I was on unemployment a few years back - I thought I could just keep collecting until the money ran out, but the year limit hit first.