yeah I learned this the hard way when I took a weekend gig and forgot to report it... ended up with an overpayment notice months later

This is really helpful info! I'm in a similar situation and was confused about the rules. One thing I want to add - make sure you report your earnings for the week you actually perform the work, not when you get paid. I made that mistake early on and it caused some confusion with my claim. The NYS DOL website has a good FAQ section about partial unemployment that breaks down all the scenarios if you want more details.

Just want to add that you also need to make sure you're still meeting the job search requirements even while doing freelance work. NYS Department of Labor requires proof that you're actively looking for full-time employment. Keep track of your job applications and interviews in case they audit your claim.

I'm in a similar situation - working part-time retail while collecting benefits. One thing I learned is that you need to report your work hours AND earnings for each day you work, not just the weekly total. The NYS Department of Labor website has a specific section about partial benefits that breaks down the calculation pretty clearly. Also make sure you're marking yourself as available for work on the days you're not working your part-time gig. The system can be really picky about how you report things, so being detailed is key.

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

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.

Just wanted to update everyone - I followed the advice here and successfully closed my NY unemployment claim! The "Request to Close Claim" option was exactly where you all said it would be. They sent me a confirmation email that my claim has been properly closed. Such a relief to have this taken care of properly. Thanks for all the help!

Congrats on getting it resolved! This thread is going to be so helpful for other people dealing with the same situation. I'm actually bookmarking it because I have a friend who might be moving from NY to California soon and will probably need this exact information. It's crazy how complicated something that should be simple can be, but at least now there's a clear step-by-step process laid out here. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences!

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.

Just apply anyway OP, worst case scenario they say no but at least you'll know for sure. The application process itself doesn't cost anything and you might be surprised by the outcome.