THE WORST PART IS TRYING TO GET THEM ON THE PHONE OMFG. I spent THREE WEEKS trying to reach a human being at NY unemployment to fix an issue with my claim. The phone system is a joke - either busy signals or it hangs up on you after making you go through all the prompts!!!

Hey Hunter! I'm in a similar situation - bartender at a place in Manhattan that went from packed to ghost town practically overnight. I successfully got partial unemployment and it's been a lifesaver while I figure things out. The key things that helped me: 1) When you apply online, be super clear that your hours were cut due to "lack of work" not that you're "still employed" 2) Keep detailed records of your daily earnings and days worked - you'll need this for weekly certification 3) Try to consolidate your shifts into fewer days if possible because of NY's weird day-counting system. Also heads up - the website will probably crash on you multiple times during the application process. Don't give up! Save your progress frequently. The whole system is frustrating but the benefits really help bridge the gap. Good luck and hang in there - this rough patch won't last forever! 🙏

Been there! My redetermination took about 5 weeks but that was during a busy period. The waiting is the worst part honestly. Just try to stay patient and keep documenting everything in case they need more info later.

I'm going through something similar right now - got my redetermination notice about 2 weeks ago and it's definitely stressful not knowing when it'll be resolved. From what I've researched, the NYS DOL website mentions they aim to complete most redeterminations within 6-8 weeks, but like others have said, it really depends on your specific situation. One thing that helped ease my anxiety was setting up the online account if you haven't already - at least you can see the status updates there even if they're minimal. Hang in there, and definitely keep filing those weekly claims like Omar mentioned!

Just wanted to add another workaround that worked for me - if you're still having issues even after trying the special characters fix, try submitting the form during off-peak hours (like early morning or late evening). I kept getting the endless loop during normal business hours, but when I tried again at 6 AM it went through on the first try. Seems like their servers get overloaded during peak times and can't handle the form submissions properly. Really shouldn't be this complicated but at least there's a way around it!

I'm dealing with this same nightmare right now! Been stuck in this loop for over a week and it's driving me crazy. Already tried the special characters fix (removed an ampersand from my employer name) and the ALL CAPS method, but still no luck. Going to try submitting during early morning hours like someone suggested - never thought about server load being an issue but it makes perfect sense. It's honestly insane that we need to jump through all these hoops just to report part-time work. The system should just work! Has anyone had success with the mobile app that was mentioned? Might give that a shot too if the timing trick doesn't work.

One other tip - make sure your husband checks his email and mail for a while even after stopping his claim. Sometimes there are notifications or questions that come up later. The NY unemployment system occasionally does random audits, and if they contact him and he doesn't respond, it can cause issues.

Just went through this exact same situation last month! One thing I'd add - if your husband worked any part of a week during his benefit period, make sure he reports the GROSS earnings (before taxes) when he certifies, not the net amount. I made that mistake initially and had to call to correct it. Also, NY has a partial benefit formula, so if he only worked a few days that week, he might still be eligible for some reduced benefits for the days he didn't work. The system will calculate it automatically once he reports his earnings correctly.

Good luck with your claim! I hope it goes smoother than mine did.

I just went through this process a few months ago! Like others mentioned, there's no waiting period - you can file immediately as long as you have qualifying wages. One tip that really helped me: make sure you have all your employment documentation ready before you start the application. NYS DOL will want pay stubs, W-2s, or other proof of your recent work. Also, if your part-time job was with a different employer than your previous claim, that actually works in your favor since it shows new qualifying wages. The online system can be glitchy, so I'd recommend applying early in the morning when there's less traffic on their website.