Getting through to NYS Department of Labor on the phone to ask questions about your benefit amount can be really frustrating with their call volume. I was stuck trying to reach them for days until I found Claimyr - it's a service that helps you get connected to actual agents. Check out claimyr.com and they have a demo video at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Made it so much easier to get my questions answered about my weekly benefit calculation.

Just wanted to share my experience - I was making around $48k at a retail management job and my weekly benefit came out to $368. The process took about 3 weeks from filing to getting my first payment, but once it started it's been pretty consistent. One thing that helped me was setting up direct deposit right away instead of waiting for the debit card - payments hit my account faster that way. Also make sure you certify for benefits every week on time, even if there are technical issues with the website. You can always call to certify if the online system is down.

my friend works at the unemployment office and says the BIGGEST mistake people make is not reporting when they start working. even if it's part time, u gotta report it. u can still get benefits (reduced obvs) but if u don't report at all they'll consider it fraud

I went through this exact same situation last year! You absolutely need to report that you're working - select "yes" when it asks if you returned to work, then it will prompt you to enter your hours and gross earnings for that week. The system is actually set up to handle partial unemployment situations like yours. As long as you're under 30 hours and your earnings don't exceed the threshold (your weekly benefit rate + $504), you'll still get reduced benefits. Don't stress about it cutting off your claim completely - that only happens if you're working full-time or earning too much. Just be honest about your hours and pay, and you should be fine!

The whole system is designed to screw people over! I ran out of benefits in week 23 and had to survive on food stamps until my year ended. Meanwhile billionaires get tax breaks. It's absolutely ridiculous that they can't extend benefits when people need them most.

I'm in a similar situation - about to hit my balance limit with several weeks left on my benefit year. One thing that might help is to start preparing now for when your benefits end. Look into local food banks, utility assistance programs, and see if you qualify for SNAP benefits to bridge the gap. Also, if you haven't already, make sure you're actively job searching and documenting it since you'll need recent work history to qualify for a new claim when your benefit year ends. The timing really is unfortunate, but planning ahead can make the transition less stressful.

just file asap and see what you get! took me 3 weeks to get my first payment but it was worth the wait. make sure you do your weekly claims every sunday

One thing to keep in mind is that you'll need to report any severance pay you received when you file - that can delay when your benefits start. Also, if you're planning to do any freelance or part-time work while collecting, you need to report those earnings each week. They'll reduce your benefit amount dollar-for-dollar after the first $143 you earn in a week. The whole process can be confusing but definitely file sooner rather than later since there's usually a waiting period.

I went through this exact situation when I moved from NY to PA about 8 months ago. Here's what actually happened: You cannot transfer benefits between states - you'll need to file a completely new claim in PA once you establish residency there. The good news is that PA will use your NY work history to calculate your benefits, but the bad news is their weekly benefit amounts are typically lower than NY's. Make sure you do a few things before you move: 1) Report your address change to NY unemployment immediately through your online account, 2) Complete your final weekly certification in NY, and 3) Apply for PA benefits as soon as you're eligible (usually after establishing residency). There will likely be a gap in payments - mine was about 3 weeks. PA's system is slower than NY's (if you can believe that). Also, be prepared for PA to have different job search requirements than what you're used to in NY. One last tip - if you're having trouble reaching NY unemployment by phone to properly close out your claim, I had success using a callback service that eliminated the endless hold times. It's worth it to make sure everything is handled correctly to avoid any fraud issues later.

I'm going through a similar situation right now - just started the process of moving from NY to PA while on unemployment. From what I've researched and heard from others here, you definitely can't transfer benefits directly between states. Each state has its own system and rules. What I'm planning to do: 1) Call NY unemployment ASAP to report my move (using that claimyr service everyone's mentioning since I can't get through either), 2) File for PA benefits as soon as I establish residency there, and 3) prepare financially for a gap in payments. One thing I learned from reading through these comments - make sure you're crystal clear about your availability for work when talking to NY unemployment. If you can still commute back to NY for jobs, there might be interstate benefit options, but if you're moving too far into PA, you'll need to start fresh with their system. The IP address flagging thing someone mentioned is scary - definitely don't want to get accused of fraud on top of everything else. Going to make sure I handle the transition properly even if it means a few weeks without income. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences, this thread has been incredibly helpful!