The whole system is so confusing!! Why don't they explain this stuff better when you first apply? I've been terrified to take any work because I thought I'd lose everything.

Just want to add my experience - I was in a similar situation and decided to keep filing while working part-time. Best decision I made! The partial benefits really helped bridge the gap until my hours increased. The key is being completely honest about your earnings on the weekly certification. NYS Department of Labor has gotten pretty good at cross-checking with employers, so don't try to hide income. Also, if your part-time job does become full-time and you're earning over your benefit amount, your claim will just go dormant and you can reactivate it later if needed without losing your remaining benefit weeks.

Same boat here, been doing the minimum 3 activities but maybe I need to do more? My adjudication officer mentioned something about 'good faith effort' during my phone interview.

From my experience, the most effective combo is direct applications + follow-up calls + visiting local career centers. I was stuck for 3 months just doing online applications, but once I started actually calling employers a few days after applying AND attending the free resume workshops at my local One-Stop Career Center, things picked up fast. The career center staff also helped me identify which job boards actually have real postings vs the fake ones that just collect your info. Also don't overlook LinkedIn networking - sending personalized messages to people in your field counts as a networking activity and sometimes leads to referrals.

I'm in a similar situation - my benefit year ends in about 6 weeks and I'm really nervous about the whole reapplication process. From reading everyone's responses, it sounds like the key is to apply early and be prepared for potential changes to your weekly benefit amount. Does anyone know if there are specific documents I should start gathering now to make the reapplication smoother? I want to avoid any delays since I'm still actively job searching but haven't found anything steady yet.

I went through this process about 6 months ago and want to add a few things that might help. First, definitely apply online rather than trying to call - the phone system is completely overwhelmed. Second, even if your weekly benefit amount changes, you'll still get the full 26 weeks of benefits if you qualify, so that's something. One thing that caught me off guard was that they asked for proof of my job search activities from the past few weeks, so make sure you're keeping good records of where you've applied. Also, if you've been doing any gig work or freelancing while on unemployment, make sure to report that accurately on your new application - they cross-reference with tax records and inconsistencies can delay your claim.

I'm dealing with this exact same issue right now! Been trying for 4 days straight and getting nowhere. Reading through all these responses has been super helpful - I had no idea about the late night trick or that there was an ID.me mobile app. I'm definitely going to try the 11pm-2am window tonight, and I'll also disable my ad blocker and privacy extensions like others suggested. It's frustrating that we have to jump through all these hoops just to verify our identity, but at least there seem to be some workarounds. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - gives me hope that I'll eventually get through this!

I'm new to this community but unfortunately not new to this ID.me nightmare! I've been stuck for 6 days now and my patience is completely shot. Reading through everyone's suggestions here has been a lifesaver though - I had no idea there were so many potential workarounds. I'm going to try the late night approach tonight (seems like 1-2am is the sweet spot based on what everyone's saying), and I'll also download the ID.me mobile app and disable my browser extensions. If that doesn't work, I might look into the Claimyr service or visit my local career center. Just wanted to say thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - it's comforting to know this isn't just me being incompetent with technology! Will definitely update once I (hopefully) get through this mess.

I went through almost the exact same thing last month with a construction layoff showing up as voluntary quit in the system. What finally worked for me was filing an appeal online through the my.ny.gov portal - there's a section called "Appeal a Determination" under the unemployment services. Even though it sounds scary, the appeal process actually got me connected with someone who could review my case properly. I attached my layoff notice, final paycheck showing "end of project" as the reason, and a brief letter explaining the situation. Got a response within 10 business days and they corrected the issue. In the meantime, keep filing your weekly certifications even if they're getting denied - you can get backpay once it's fixed. Also document every single phone call attempt with date/time - I kept a simple note on my phone and it helped show I was trying to resolve this properly. Don't panic about rent yet, there are emergency assistance programs through 211 if you call them. You've got this!

I feel your frustration - the NYS Department of Labor phone system is definitely broken right now. One thing that worked for me was calling the employer services line at 518-457-9000 instead of the main claimant line. They're sometimes less busy and can transfer you or at least give you better guidance on who to contact about separation issues. Also, since you mentioned construction work, make sure you have your employer's unemployment insurance account number handy (should be on your final paystub or layoff paperwork) - this helps them look up your case faster. For the voluntary quit vs layoff issue, you can also try reaching out to your former employer's HR or payroll department to confirm they reported it correctly to the state. Sometimes it's just a coding error on their end that they can fix with a simple correction form. Hang in there - I know it's stressful but most of these issues do get resolved eventually.