Same boat here... running low on weeks and getting nervous. At least we're not alone in this struggle.

I feel your anxiety - I was in a similar situation a few months ago. The standard 26 weeks in NY goes by fast when the job market is tough. One thing that helped me was reaching out to local workforce development centers - they sometimes have additional resources or training programs that can extend your support while you search. Also, don't forget about partial unemployment benefits if you end up taking temporary or part-time work while still looking. The income requirements are pretty flexible and you might still qualify for some benefits. Hang in there, and definitely check that my.ny.gov account to see your exact remaining balance so you can plan accordingly.

Since you've resolved your immediate issue, here's some advice for the future. Many people don't realize that NY unemployment has specific requirements for address changes that affect both your claim eligibility and your benefit access: 1. You must update your address with NYSDOL within 10 days of moving 2. If you move out of state, it can affect your claim eligibility (though temporary moves may be allowed) 3. Address changes must be verified through ID.me as of 2025 4. Key Bank requires separate notification for card services The system is designed this way to prevent fraud, but it creates these frustrating situations for legitimate claimants. Setting up direct deposit is definitely the way to go if you can - it eliminates most of these card-related problems.

I just went through this exact same situation two weeks ago when I moved from Queens to Rochester! The frustrating part is that even after you update your address with NYSDOL online, the Key Bank system doesn't automatically sync with it. I had to call Key Bank separately and wait on hold for like an hour. Pro tip: If you're planning to move again in the future, consider switching to direct deposit BEFORE you move. I wish I had done that from the start. The whole Key Bank card system seems like it's designed to create problems whenever there's any change to your account. Also, make sure to keep receipts or screenshots of any calls you make to either NYSDOL or Key Bank about address changes. I had to call back twice because the first representative didn't properly update my information in their system.

Been doing part-time work while on unemployment for 3 months now. Works out fine as long as you report everything. Just remember that freelance work still counts as employment even if you're not getting a regular paycheck from an employer.

I'm in a similar situation - got laid off from my marketing job a few weeks ago and a friend offered me some freelance social media work. From what I've learned, you can definitely work part-time and still collect unemployment benefits in NY. The key things are: 1) Report ALL work and earnings when you file your weekly claim, 2) Report gross earnings (before taxes) for the week you actually worked, not when you got paid, 3) You can generally work up to 4 days per week and still be considered unemployed, 4) NYS will reduce your benefits based on what you earn but you won't lose them completely unless you earn more than your benefit amount plus $50. Just make sure to keep looking for full-time work and maintain your job search log - that's still required even with part-time work. The landscaping work sounds perfect since it's weekends only and shouldn't interfere with interviews for full-time positions.

The NYS Department of Labor will look at whether you made reasonable efforts to resolve the workplace issues before quitting. Did you file complaints with HR? Document incidents? Try to work with management? If you just up and quit without trying to fix things first, they're more likely to deny your claim. But if you can show you tried everything and the situation was truly unbearable, you have a better shot at getting benefits.

This is exactly what I went through 6 months ago! I was so stressed about quitting because I needed the income but couldn't take the abuse anymore. Ended up getting approved for benefits because I had documented everything and showed I tried to resolve it internally first.

My dad worked construction which also has seasonal layoffs in winter and he always called it 'going on the dole' lol. But seriously, in NYS the construction and tourism industries have this pattern built into their business models. Workers expect it, employers plan for it, and the unemployment system handles it as routine. It's definitely structural unemployment in the textbook sense.

This is really helpful for understanding how seasonal unemployment works in practice! I'm actually curious about something related - does the NYS Department of Labor have different benefit amounts or durations for seasonal workers compared to regular unemployment claims? Or do they all go through the same calculation based on prior earnings? I'm wondering if the predictable nature of seasonal layoffs affects how benefits are administered, since unlike other types of unemployment, both the worker and employer know exactly when the layoff is coming.