They should seriously update their system for gig workers... its so confusing trying to figure out what counts as work hours vs just having the app on 🤦‍♂️

Been doing DoorDash while on unemployment for a few months now. Key things I learned: 1) Track EVERYTHING - hours, miles, earnings per day 2) Only count actual delivery time, not just having app open 3) Report gross earnings before gas/expenses 4) Stay under that weekly limit or they'll dock your benefits. The 10 hour thing is real but the income limit is what usually gets people. If you're making decent money per hour you might hit the $ limit before the time limit anyway.

THE WHOLE SYSTEM IS RIGGED!!! Employers can fight your claim just to save money on their taxes while you're struggling to pay rent. I had to appeal my disqualification twice because my old boss lied about why I was terminated. These companies don't care about workers at all.

Thanks everyone for explaining this! I was also confused about how the funding works. Just to add - I've been through this process and want to reassure you that being laid off from a warehouse job is typically a pretty straightforward unemployment case. Your employer might get notified about your claim, but unless there were performance issues or misconduct involved, they usually don't contest legitimate layoffs. The NYS Department of Labor is pretty good at distinguishing between valid claims and questionable ones. Don't stress too much about your former boss trying to fight it if you were genuinely laid off due to business reasons.

just go to my.ny.gov and start the application process, dont overthink it. you answer questions about your last job and they tell you if you qualify

Three weeks isn't too late at all! I was in a similar situation and filed about a month after losing my job. The key thing to remember is that your benefit week starts from when you file, not when you lost your job, so you'll want to get your application in ASAP. Make sure you have all your employment information ready - last employer details, dates of employment, reason for separation, etc. Once you file your initial claim, you'll need to certify for benefits every week going forward. Don't let the complexity of the system discourage you - you've paid into this system and deserve the benefits!

same thing happened to my neighbor, she just ignored it and nothing happened to her unemployment

I'd also recommend documenting everything - keep copies of all the legal papers you received, any correspondence with the debt collector, and your unemployment benefit statements. If you do need to go to court, having this documentation will help prove that your only income is protected unemployment benefits. Also, if the debt collector continues to harass you after you've informed them about the exempt status of your benefits, that could be a violation of debt collection laws and you might want to consult with a consumer rights attorney.

I'm dealing with this exact same situation right now! Filed my claim on Monday and got a job offer today that starts next Monday. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful - I was panicking thinking I'd somehow messed up the system by filing and then immediately getting employed. It's such a relief to know that simply not certifying weekly is the standard approach and won't cause any issues down the road. The advice about keeping the confirmation number and initial paperwork is really practical too. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - it's so valuable to hear from people who've actually been through this rather than just trying to navigate the official websites which don't really address this scenario clearly. Congratulations to the original poster on landing the job!

I went through this exact same situation about 6 months ago - filed my claim and then got a job offer within days. I was so stressed about doing the "right thing" that I spent way too much time researching this! Everyone here is absolutely correct - just stop certifying weekly and let the claim go dormant. That's exactly what I did and it caused zero issues. One small tip I haven't seen mentioned yet: if you're using direct deposit for any future unemployment claims, you might want to keep that bank account info current in the system even though the claim is dormant. When I had to file again later (different job situation), having outdated banking info caused a small delay. But overall, don't stress about this - it's such a common scenario that the system handles it seamlessly. Congrats on the new position!