To summarize for the original poster: 1. Yes, you can receive partial unemployment while working part-time 2. Report all hours and earnings accurately when you certify weekly 3. Be aware of the thresholds: working 30+ hours or earning $595+ in a week makes you ineligible for that week 4. Continue doing and documenting your four work search activities each week 5. Keep detailed records of all your work hours, pay stubs, and certifications 6. Consider having taxes withheld from your benefits While the system isn't perfect, partial unemployment can definitely help bridge the gap while you're working reduced hours and searching for full-time employment.

Just went through this exact process last month! A couple things that helped me get started: When you apply online, there's a specific section where you indicate you're working part-time - don't skip over it or the system might flag your claim as suspicious. Also, make sure you have your last full-time employer's info ready (dates, wages, reason you left) since that's what your benefit amount will be based on, not your current part-time job. One thing I wish someone had told me - your first payment might take 3-4 weeks to come through even if everything goes smoothly, so don't panic if it seems slow. The system has to verify your previous employment first. Good luck with your application!

Ugh, I feel your pain! I've been stuck in review hell since September - going on 5 months now too. The whole system is absolutely broken. What's helped me stay (somewhat) sane is keeping a spreadsheet of every single call attempt, message sent, and interaction. I also started calling my assemblyperson's office last week after seeing similar advice here. Haven't heard back yet but fingers crossed! In the meantime, I've been doing gig work just to keep the lights on. It's so frustrating that we have to jump through all these hoops when we're already stressed about money. Hang in there - you're definitely not alone in this nightmare!

Wow, reading through all these comments is both reassuring and terrifying at the same time. I'm dealing with something similar - filed my claim in early September and it's been "under review" ever since. Like you, I've called probably 25+ times with no luck, sent multiple messages through their portal, and even tried reaching out on social media. Nothing. The claimyr.com suggestion keeps coming up and I'm honestly getting desperate enough to try it. Has anyone here actually used it recently? I'm a bit worried about giving my info to a third party but if it actually works... Also definitely going to try contacting my state rep after seeing how many people had success with that approach. At this point I'll try anything. The financial stress is unreal - I've burned through my savings and am now behind on rent. How is it legal for them to just ignore people for months like this? Hang in there OP, sounds like we're all in this together unfortunately 😔

UPDATE: I decided to file and was upfront about my business during the application. Got approved! They did ask for some additional documentation about my business income and I have to report any earnings weekly, but my claim is active. Thanks everyone for the advice.

Congratulations on getting approved! Your success story is really helpful for others in similar situations. I'm curious - how long did the whole application process take from when you first filed to getting your approval? And did they give you any specific guidelines about what level of business income might start affecting your benefits? I'm in a somewhat similar boat with a side business that's not making much, so your experience is really valuable to know about.

ugh this whole system is so confusing why cant they just make it simple!! i never know when anything expires or what im supposed to do

One thing that helped me was setting a calendar reminder about 2 months before my benefit year end date so I could start preparing. Also, if you're getting close to the end and still actively job searching, you might want to start gathering your wage documents early for the new claim. The transition can be smoother if you have all your paperwork ready to go. And definitely keep certifying every week right up until your benefit year ends - don't let any weeks lapse thinking it doesn't matter.

For anyone dealing with this issue, I recommend taking screenshots of your certification confirmation page every time you certify. That way if there's ever a dispute about what days you claimed, you have proof. The system is supposed to show this in your payment history, but sometimes that information is incomplete or missing entirely.

This is so helpful to read! I just started collecting unemployment last month and had no idea this was even a possibility. I've been certifying every Sunday without really paying attention to the payment amounts - just assumed they were correct. Going to start screenshotting my certifications and checking my payment history more carefully from now on. Thanks for sharing your experience and congrats on getting it resolved!