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If I could give 10 stars I would If I could give 10 stars I would Such an amazing service so needed during the times when EDD almost never picks up Claimyr gets me on the phone with EDD every time without fail faster. A much needed service without Claimyr I would have never received the payment I needed to support me during my postpartum recovery. Thank you so much Claimyr!
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An incredibly helpful service! Got me connected to a CA EDD agent without major hassle (outside of EDD's agents dropping calls – which Claimyr has free protection for). If you need to file a new claim and can't do it online, pay the $ to Claimyr to get the process started. Absolutely worth it!
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Used this service a couple times now. Before I'd call 200 times in less than a weak frustrated as can be. But using claimyr with a couple hours of waiting i was on the line with an representative or on hold. Dropped a couple times but each reconnected not long after and was mission accomplished, thanks to Claimyr.
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just file and see what happens tbh. worst they can do is say no right? i worked part time when i was on unemployment and it was fine
While that might work out, it's better to understand the rules upfront so you don't accidentally make mistakes on your weekly claims that could cause issues later.
I work for NYS Department of Labor and can confirm that you can definitely file for unemployment benefits while working part-time! The key things to remember: 1) Report ALL earnings on your weekly certification - even if it's just $1, 2) You can earn up to 25% of your weekly benefit rate without any reduction to your UI benefits, 3) After that threshold, benefits are reduced but not eliminated, and 4) You must still be available for full-time work and actively job searching. With your part-time income of $180/week, you'll likely still receive a significant portion of your unemployment benefits. Don't let the part-time job stop you from filing - many people are in similar situations and the system is designed to help workers transitioning between jobs.
@Sophia Russo This is exactly the kind of official guidance I was hoping to find! I m'in a very similar situation to the original poster - just lost my main job but still have weekend work. Your breakdown of the 25% threshold rule is really helpful. One thing I m'curious about - does the NYS Department of Labor have any specific guidelines about what counts as actively "job searching when" you already have some part-time work? Like do I need to apply to a certain number of jobs per week, or is there flexibility since I m'already partially employed?
@Sophia Russo This is incredibly helpful! I ve'been stressing about this for days since getting laid off. Quick question - when I file my weekly certification online, is there a specific section where I report the part-time earnings, or do I need to call it in? I want to make sure I m'doing everything correctly from the start so there are no issues down the road. Also, does it matter that my part-time job is in retail while my main job was in an office setting - like do they consider industry when calculating benefits?
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I went through something similar last year and what finally worked was contacting my local assembly member's office. They have staff who specifically help with NYS Department of Labor issues and can escalate your case. I called my representative's district office, explained the situation, and they had someone from their constituent services team reach out to the Department of Labor on my behalf. Got a call back within 3 business days with my issue resolved. It's worth trying if the regular phone lines aren't working - these offices exist to help with exactly these kinds of bureaucratic problems.
That's really smart advice about contacting the assembly member's office! I never would have thought of that approach. How do you find out who your local representative is and get their office contact info? Is there a specific way you're supposed to explain the situation to their staff, or do they already know how to handle unemployment issues?
Another option that worked for me was reaching out through the NY.gov website's "Contact Us" form rather than calling. I submitted a detailed message explaining my adjudication issue with my claim number and got an email response within 5 business days with specific instructions on what documents to upload. Sometimes the written route gets better results than the phone system. Also, if you have a local One-Stop Career Center (American Job Center), they often have staff who can help you navigate the NYS Department of Labor system and may even be able to make calls on your behalf. Worth checking if there's one near you!
@Lauren Zeb That s'really helpful advice about using the written contact form! I ve'been so focused on trying to call that I didn t'even think about submitting through the website. Do you remember roughly how detailed you had to be in your message? I want to make sure I include everything they need without writing a novel. Also, when you mention uploading documents - is that something you can do directly through the NY.gov unemployment portal, or did they send you a separate link? I m'definitely going to try this approach since the phone situation has been impossible.
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The whole system is ridiculous honestly. They make it so complicated to figure out if you even qualify and then make you wait weeks for an answer while you have no income. I got disqualified for 'quitting without good cause' even though my workplace was completely toxic and unsafe.
did you try appealing? sometimes they get it wrong the first time around
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If you're having trouble getting through to NYS Department of Labor to file your claim or check on adjudication status, I used a service called Claimyr that helped me reach an actual agent. They have a website at claimyr.com and there's a demo video at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Really helped when I couldn't get through the regular phone lines.
How much does something like that cost? I'm already tight on money.
Just remember you still need to be able and available for work while collecting benefits. If you're still providing full-time care, that could be an issue with your weekly claims.
Oh no, I didn't think about that part. My mom still needs care but maybe not as much as before. How do they check on that?
Aisha Mahmood
For restaurant workers specifically, there aren't special unemployment programs but you might want to look into workforce development programs through the city. Some offer training for other industries while you're collecting benefits. Just make sure any training programs you enter are approved so they don't interfere with your weekly claim certifications.
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Alexis Renard
•@Aisha Mahmood This is really helpful info! Do you know where to find these workforce development programs? I m'also coming from the restaurant industry and could use some guidance on transitioning to something more stable while I m'on benefits.
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CyberNinja
•@Alexis Renard You can check out NYC s'workforce1 career centers - they have locations in all five boroughs and offer free training programs. Also look into CUNY s'continuing education programs, some are specifically designed for career changers. The Restaurant Opportunities Centers United ROC (United also) has programs for restaurant workers transitioning to other fields. Just make sure whatever program you choose is approved by the Department of Labor so it doesn t'mess with your unemployment eligibility.
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Rudy Cenizo
Just want to add that you should also check if you qualify for any city-specific assistance programs while you're on unemployment. NYC has programs like SNAP (food assistance) and emergency rental assistance that can help stretch your benefits further. The Human Resources Administration (HRA) website has info on what you might be eligible for. Also, keep all your documentation organized - unemployment requires a lot of paperwork and you don't want to miss payments because of missing forms. Good luck with your job search!
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