I went through something really similar about 6 months ago. My hours got cut from 35 to about 12 per week and I ended up quitting. I did get approved for unemployment but it wasn't easy - I had to provide my old schedules, pay stubs showing the income drop, and write a detailed statement explaining why the hour reduction made it impossible to continue working there. The whole process took about 5 weeks from filing to getting my first payment. One thing that helped was that I applied for other jobs before quitting to show I was trying to find alternative employment. The unemployment office seemed to like that I made an effort to stay employed. Also, definitely look into local food banks and emergency rent assistance programs while you're waiting - many places have programs specifically for people between jobs.

Just wanted to add that if you do decide to quit and file for unemployment, make sure you keep working until you actually submit your resignation. Don't just stop showing up - that could hurt your case. Also, when you file your claim, be very specific about the timeline of when your hours were reduced and how it affected your ability to pay basic living expenses. The Department of Labor wants to see that the hour reduction created a genuine hardship that made continuing employment unreasonable. Document your monthly expenses too if you can - rent, utilities, food costs - to show that 15 hours a week wasn't sufficient to meet your basic needs. And definitely start applying for other jobs now if you haven't already, because they'll ask about your job search efforts during the claim process.

From what I understand, it's 3 work search activities per week in NY. But here's what I learned the hard way - make sure you understand what actually counts! Things like just browsing job sites don't qualify, but actually submitting applications, attending virtual job fairs, or doing informational interviews do. I keep a detailed log with dates, company names, contact info, and exactly what I did. Also recommend checking the NYS DOL website regularly because they sometimes update the requirements or clarify what activities are acceptable.

I went through this same confusion when I first started collecting! The 3 work search activities per week requirement is correct, but I'd also recommend calling your local One-Stop Career Center if you have questions about what counts. They're usually more helpful than trying to get through to the main NYS DOL phone lines. Also, don't forget that things like updating your resume, attending workshops (even virtual ones), or networking on LinkedIn can count as valid activities too. The key is just documenting everything properly with dates and details in case they ask for your records later.

Moving within state is fine but PLEASE update your address immediately. I forgot to update mine when I moved and it caused a delay in my benefits because they couldn't verify my identity during a routine check.

Just went through this exact situation! Moved from Manhattan to Albany in January while on unemployment. The process is super straightforward - just log into your NY.gov account and update your address in the "Personal Information" section. I also updated it during my weekly certification just to be safe. My benefits continued without any interruption. The only thing to keep in mind is that you still need to be actively searching for work and available to accept employment, so make sure you can realistically commute to job opportunities in your field. Since you mentioned you can commute back to NYC if needed, you should be totally fine. Good luck with the move!

Just to add - the numbers also fluctuate seasonally. Construction workers, hospitality, retail all have different patterns throughout the year which affects the total claimant count.

The seasonal aspect is really important to consider. I'm in hospitality myself and noticed that claim numbers tend to spike after the holiday season and during slower tourist periods. From what I've observed, NYC alone probably accounts for a huge chunk of those statewide numbers given how many service industry workers cycle through unemployment benefits during off-seasons. The system definitely feels more strained during these peak periods.

Thanks everyone for the detailed info! As someone new to this whole unemployment system, this thread is incredibly helpful. @Dmitry Ivanov that breakdown is exactly what I needed - gonna screenshot that for reference. Quick follow up question: when you report part-time income, do you report gross or net earnings? And does freelance/contract work count the same as regular part-time employment? I do some web dev consulting on the side and want to make sure I'm reporting everything correctly.

@Andre Dupont since you mentioned you're in tech, just wanted to add that remote freelance work gets tricky with the reporting. I learned this the hard way - even if you invoice a client in January but don't get paid until February, you report the income for the week you actually receive payment, not when you did the work. Also, if you're doing any 1099 work, set aside money for taxes since they don't withhold anything. The state will still reduce your benefits based on gross income even though you'll owe taxes on it later. Keep every email, invoice, and payment record - unemployment audits for tech freelancers are becoming more common.