BRUH their customer service is straight trash. Been trying to resolve an issue for weeks. Either fix the system or hire more ppl smh

Have you tried the chat feature on their website? Sometimes that works better than calling. Also heard if you select "report lost/stolen card" option it connects you faster to a human since it's considered urgent. Worth a shot!

I just had my RESEA meeting last week and wanted to share some tips! The counselor was actually really nice and it ended up being more helpful than I expected. Here's what I learned: 1. Have your work search log ready - I used a simple Excel sheet with dates, company names, job titles, and application method 2. Your resume should be saved as a PDF on your desktop (they asked me to email it during the call) 3. They asked about my career goals and what salary range I was targeting 4. Be ready to discuss any skills gaps or training you might need The whole thing took about 50 minutes and she actually connected me with a local workforce development program that offers free certifications. Don't stress too much - as long as you're genuinely looking for work and can show your efforts, you'll be fine! One last tip: if you need to reach unemployment before your meeting for any questions, I second what others said about trying claimyr.com - it really does work and saves hours of hold time.

Just wanted to add my experience from when I had my RESEA meeting about a month ago! I was super nervous too but it ended up being pretty straightforward. The counselor walked me through updating my NY.gov job seeker profile and showed me some job search resources I didn't know existed. One thing that helped me was having my work search activities printed out as a backup - even though it was a phone call, I felt more confident having everything in front of me on paper. They asked me to describe about 5-6 of my recent job applications in detail (what the job was, where I found it, when I applied). The counselor also asked if I was open to remote work or willing to commute to certain areas, so be ready to discuss your geographic flexibility. Overall it was way less intimidating than I built it up to be in my head. You've got this! Also echoing what others said about that claimyr service - used it myself when I had payment issues and it actually works. Worth it if you need to talk to someone at DOL quickly.

I just went through this exact same process and totally understand the anxiety! I filed my claim 2 weeks ago and got my Monetary Benefit Determination letter after 11 business days. Like others have mentioned, it shows up in the Correspondence section of your my.ny.gov account first - definitely check there daily rather than just looking at the main page. The letter is very clear and detailed, showing your weekly benefit amount, benefit year dates, and any requirements you need to complete. At 10 days you're still well within the normal processing time, so try not to stress too much. The waiting is the worst part, but once you get that letter everything becomes much clearer about next steps!

I'm on day 14 since filing my claim and just got my Monetary Benefit Determination letter this morning! It showed up in the Correspondence section around 8 AM. The letter clearly states "APPROVED" right at the top and shows my weekly benefit amount of $312 (I was making about $55k annually). It includes all the details everyone mentioned - base period earnings, benefit year dates (mine runs for a full year), and work search requirements that need to be completed within 7 days. The letter also specifies that I can start filing weekly claims beginning this Sunday. For anyone still waiting, don't lose hope - 14 days felt like forever but it finally came through! The system just takes time to process everything properly. Make sure you're checking that Correspondence section daily because there's no email notification when it appears.

just took contract work last month and it was fine, no issues with reporting it on my weekly claims. the unemployment office doesn't care as long as you're honest about hours and pay

I went through this exact situation a few months ago! The key thing that helped me was keeping really detailed records - I made a simple spreadsheet tracking exactly which days I worked, how many hours each day, and what I earned. When you file your weekly claim, you'll answer "yes" to working during that week and then enter the total gross earnings and hours worked. The system will automatically calculate your reduced benefit amount. One tip: if your contract work spans multiple claim weeks, make sure you're allocating the earnings to the correct weeks based on when you actually performed the work, not when you submitted invoices or got paid. This kept me out of trouble with audits later on.

omg this is exactly what happened to my sister except she didnt report it at first because she thought it was just a one time thing and then they found out somehow and she had to pay back like $1200 😭

I'm dealing with something similar right now! Been on unemployment for about 3 months and just started getting some freelance web development gigs. What I learned is that you need to report the income in the week you actually receive the payment, not when you do the work. So if you complete that $800 project over 2 weeks but get paid all at once in week 3, you report the full $800 in week 3. Also keep detailed records of everything - dates, amounts, what the work was for. The NYS system will calculate your benefit reduction automatically once you enter the earnings. And don't worry about the 1099 aspect affecting your claim status - lots of people do contract work while collecting. Just be honest and report everything!