Just wanted to add that when you file online, make sure you have all your employment information ready - including your part-time employer's details, your exact start date, and your average weekly earnings. The system will ask for this upfront. Also, one tip that helped me: when you get to the weekly certification, always certify on the same day each week (like every Sunday) so you don't accidentally miss a week. Missing even one certification can mess up your whole claim and you'll have to call to fix it. The partial benefits really do help bridge the gap while you're looking for full-time work. Good luck with your application!

I just went through this process myself a few weeks ago and wanted to share what worked for me. Yes, you can absolutely file for partial unemployment while working part-time under $504/week - it's actually pretty common in NY. Here's what I learned that might help you: **Application Tips:** - File online at labor.ny.gov - despite what some people say about glitches, I found it worked fine if you have all your info ready first - Answer "YES" when asked if you're currently working - this won't hurt your eligibility - Have your part-time employer's basic info ready (name, address, phone, your start date) - Know your weekly gross wages from the part-time job **How Partial Benefits Work:** The system reduces your weekly benefit by 25% for each day you work. So if your full benefit would be $400/week: - Work 1 day = get $300 (75%) - Work 2 days = get $200 (50%) - Work 3 days = get $100 (25%) - Work 4+ days = get $0 **Weekly Certification:** When you certify each week, report the exact number of DAYS you worked (not hours). Even if you only work 2 hours on Tuesday, that counts as 1 full work day. **Work Search Requirement:** You still need to do 3 work search activities per week even though you're working part-time. Job applications, networking events, and career fairs all count. The online system worked smoothly for me once I had everything prepared. Good luck with your application!

Just to add - if you're currently receiving benefits through NYS Department of Labor, you're getting regular unemployment insurance which is the main program. Don't worry about applying anywhere else. The only time you'd need to look into other programs is if you were self-employed or gig worker, but even then those special programs ended years ago.

Thanks everyone for clearing this up! I was getting so anxious thinking I was missing out on some separate federal benefits program. It's reassuring to know that the payments I'm already receiving from NYS Department of Labor are the right ones and I don't need to file anywhere else. The pandemic era programs really did create a lot of confusion about what's "federal" vs "state" unemployment.

I just went through this exact same process about a month ago after being laid off from my job in Rochester. Definitely go with the online application through my.ny.gov - it's so much easier than trying to get through on the phone. One thing I'd recommend is creating your NY.gov account first before you actually start the unemployment application, because that part can take a few extra minutes and you don't want to lose your progress. Also, if you worked for multiple employers in the past 18 months, write down all the details beforehand - company names, addresses, supervisor names, exact employment dates, and reason for leaving each job. I made the mistake of starting the application without having all this info ready and had to stop halfway through to look things up. The system will time out if you take too long on any one page. Overall it took me about 35 minutes once I had everything organized, and I received my debit card in the mail about 10 days later. Make sure you opt for direct deposit though - it's much faster than waiting for the debit card to arrive.

Just wanted to add my recent experience - I filed my unemployment claim online about 3 weeks ago after getting laid off from my job in Albany. The my.ny.gov system worked really well, but I'd strongly suggest having your last 6 pay stubs ready if you can find them. They asked me for more detailed wage information that wasn't on just my most recent stub. Also, don't panic if your claim shows "pending" for the first few days - that seems to be normal while they verify your employment history. One other tip: when you're filling out the weekly certifications, be really specific about your job search activities. I just wrote "applied online" the first week and they flagged it for more details. Now I write down exactly which companies I applied to and what positions. The whole process has been pretty smooth overall, and the customer service chat feature on the website is actually helpful if you get stuck on anything.

ny unemployment really testing our patience out here 🤡

Just wanted to share what worked for me after dealing with this nightmare for 3 days straight! I was getting the same OKTA verification loop where it would just hang forever. Turns out the issue was my VPN - once I disconnected it completely and restarted my browser, the verification went through immediately. Also make sure you're not using any ad blockers or privacy extensions that might be interfering with the authentication process. Hope this helps someone! 🙏

This is definitely a system error - you should only have one waiting week per benefit year! I had something similar happen to me last year. The key is to keep calling until you get someone who actually knows what they're doing. Document everything like Josef said and don't let them tell you it's normal because it's not. The system has been extra glitchy since they updated it. Hope you get it sorted out quickly!

I work at a benefits advocacy nonprofit and can confirm this is 100% a system error. NY law is clear - only ONE waiting week per benefit year, period. What's happening is the system isn't properly recognizing your previous benefit year when you restart claiming after a break. Here's my advice: when you call (definitely use that claimyr service if you can afford it), ask to speak specifically to a "claims examiner" not just a regular agent. Tell them you need a "waiting week waiver review" for duplicate waiting weeks in the same benefit year. Use those exact words - it'll get you to the right department faster. Also, check if your benefit year actually expired between your claims. If you filed in Sept 2022 and are claiming again in summer 2023, you might technically be in a new benefit year which WOULD require a new waiting week. But based on your timeline it sounds like you're still in the same benefit year so this is definitely their mistake. Keep us updated on how it goes! This has been happening to way too many people lately 😤