just started a new job last month and still getting partial benefits. make sure you keep track of your hours and wages because they might audit you later. also your job search requirements change once you start working - you don't have to do as many job contacts per week

Just went through this exact situation a few months ago! When you file your weekly certification, there's a specific question about whether you worked during that week. You'll need to report the exact number of hours worked and your gross earnings (before taxes). The system automatically calculates if you're eligible for partial benefits. At 20 hours per week, you'll likely still qualify for some benefits as long as your weekly earnings don't exceed your weekly benefit amount plus $50. Don't stress too much - the online system walks you through it step by step, and as long as you're honest about your hours and wages, you'll be fine. Good luck with the new job!

Based on your work history, you might actually qualify! With 8 months at $15/hour for 20-25 hours weekly, that's roughly $300-375 per week in gross wages. Over 8 months, you likely earned well over the $2,600 base period requirement. Your weekly benefit would be 50% of your average weekly wage during your highest quarter, so potentially around $150-180 per week rather than the $104 minimum. Definitely worth applying - you can do it online at my.ny.gov and it only takes about 30 minutes to complete the initial application.

Also keep in mind that you need to be unemployed through no fault of your own to qualify. If you were laid off or your hours were cut, that should work in your favor. But if you quit voluntarily, you might face additional hurdles. When you apply, they'll ask for your reason for separation from employment, so make sure you're honest about the circumstances. The good news is that even if your initial claim gets denied, you can appeal the decision if you think it was wrong.

I'm also dealing with the adjudication wait right now - filed about 6 days ago and seeing that same "adjudication in progress" message. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been really helpful though. It sounds like 3-4 weeks is pretty standard for straightforward layoff cases, which is both reassuring and frustrating at the same time. I had no idea you could continue certifying during adjudication, so that's really valuable information. The weekly check approach instead of daily obsessing sounds like a much better strategy for managing the stress too. It's tough when you're already dealing with job loss and then have to wait weeks just to find out if you'll get the benefits you're entitled to, but at least knowing others have successfully gotten through this process helps. Fingers crossed all of us waiting right now will get positive news soon!

I'm currently at 3 weeks in adjudication for my layoff claim, so seeing everyone's timelines here gives me hope I'm getting close to resolution. The NYS Department of Labor really should provide better communication about where you stand in the process - that "adjudication in progress" message tells you absolutely nothing! I've learned to check only on Mondays now instead of constantly refreshing, which has definitely helped my stress levels. For anyone new to this process, definitely keep certifying each week like others mentioned - I almost stopped doing it thinking it was pointless during adjudication but thankfully read about the retroactive payments working that way. The waiting is brutal when you're already dealing with financial pressure from job loss, but it sounds like most straightforward layoff cases do eventually get approved. Hang in there everyone!

The whole NYS Department of Labor system is so confusing! They make you jump through hoops just to find out basic information about your own benefits. Why can't they just have a simple calculator that actually works?

Based on $700 weekly for 8 months, you're probably looking at somewhere between $250-350 per week, but that's just a rough guess. The actual amount depends on exactly when you worked, what quarters those wages fall into, and whether you had any other jobs during your base period. You really need to file the claim to get the exact calculation.

I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who's shared their experiences and advice here! As someone who's also dealing with payroll tax confusion after losing professional help, this thread has been incredibly valuable. It's amazing how many people have gone through similar situations with accountants leaving them to figure out the NYS-45 form on their own. I'm bookmarking this conversation and definitely going to follow the step-by-step approach everyone outlined - downloading the current form and instructions from NYS Department of Labor, checking my UI rate online, organizing my payroll records, and possibly reaching out to a SCORE mentor for review. It's so reassuring to know there are resources and people willing to help when you're trying to navigate government forms solo!

I'm in the exact same situation - my accountant left me with a pile of forms and no guidance! This thread has been a lifesaver. I've been stressing about the NYS-45 for weeks, thinking I was missing something obvious. It's really comforting to know so many others have navigated this successfully after being left to figure it out alone. I'm definitely going to follow the systematic approach everyone outlined: get the current NYS-45 from the NYS Department of Labor website, check my UI rate in the employer portal, organize my payroll records, and work through those line-by-line instructions. The SCORE mentor suggestion is brilliant too - I had no idea that free help was available. Thanks everyone for turning what felt like an impossible task into something manageable!