honestly the whole system is a mess, they make it so confusing on purpose!! ive been trying to figure out my eligibility for weeks and every person i talk to tells me something different about the requirements

Based on what you described, you should definitely qualify. The layoff from your most recent job is what matters for eligibility, and 8 months of work should give you enough wage credits. Just file as soon as possible since there's usually a one-week waiting period before benefits start.

The whole system is ridiculous if you ask me. Why can't they just make a simple calculator that actually works? I spent three weeks trying to figure out my benefits and even the NYS Department of Labor rep I finally reached gave me different numbers than what showed up in my account.

Don't forget you can also check if you qualify for the alternate base period if your regular base period doesn't give you enough wages to qualify. That uses the most recent 4 quarters instead of the first 4 of the last 5.

Just remember you HAVE to report every penny you make or they'll hit you with an overpayment later. I learned that the hard way when I didn't report a small cash job thinking it wouldn't matter. NYS Department of Labor doesn't mess around with unreported income.

Take the catering job! The worst thing you can do is sit around doing nothing. Even if it reduces your unemployment a little, you're gaining experience and networking. Plus you'll still be collecting something from NYS Department of Labor as long as your earnings aren't too high.

If you're having trouble getting your 1099-G or need to talk to someone about your unemployment tax situation, I used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through to an actual NYS Department of Labor agent when I couldn't access my account. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Really helped me get my tax documents sorted out quickly.

Just remember you can also deduct any job search expenses you had while collecting unemployment - gas for interviews, resume printing, etc. Won't offset much but every little bit helps when you're dealing with an unexpected tax bill.

Wait, I thought you had to wait until after your last paycheck or something? I've been putting off filing because my former employer said they're sending me a final check next week. Am I supposed to file before I get that?

I had issues reaching NYS Department of Labor by phone when I needed to clarify something about my claim timing. If you run into the same problem, I used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get through to an agent quickly. They have a demo video at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Really helped when the phone lines were jammed and I kept getting disconnected.