Can I claim NY unemployment for week with reduced hours (only 2 days work)?
I normally work full-time but this week my employer only scheduled me for 2 days because they overscheduled other employees. Can I file for partial NY unemployment just for this specific week? I've received unemployment benefits before when I was totally unemployed, but I'm not sure how it works for just one week of reduced hours. Will I mess up my employer's account if I file for just this one-off situation? Anyone dealt with something similar?
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Kendrick Webb
Yes, you can file for partial unemployment in NY for weeks when your hours are reduced. The key is whether you'll work under 30 hours AND earn less than $621 in gross pay for the week (2025 threshold). When you certify, you'll need to report the exact days and hours you worked plus your gross earnings before deductions. The system will calculate if you qualify for a partial payment based on that info.
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Norman Fraser
•Thank you! That's really helpful. So I'll only be working 16 hours this week and making about $320 before taxes. Do I just certify like normal then? And will this cause any problems with my employer?
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Hattie Carson
i had the same thing last month, got cut to 3 days for 2 weeks. just certify and tell them which days u worked. they do the math for u
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Norman Fraser
•Did your employer say anything to you about it afterwards? I'm worried mine might get upset that I filed.
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Destiny Bryant
Make sure to report EXACTLY which days you worked when you certify. If you work Monday and Tuesday, mark those days. If you work any part of a day, even 1 hour, you must mark that you worked that day. NY's system calculates partial benefits based on days worked, not just hours or income.
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Dyllan Nantx
•Thats rite they count DAYS not hours which is so dumb imo. I worked 4 hours on 4 different days once (16hrs total) and got $0 but my friend worked 32 hours in 3 days and got partial benefits!! System makes no sense
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TillyCombatwarrior
BE CAREFUL! I did this and then my employer contested it saying they had hours available but I 'declined' them (totally untrue). Had to go through this whole appeal process that took FOREVER. Sometimes better to just eat the loss for a week than deal with all the bureaucracy drama.
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Norman Fraser
•Oh no, that sounds terrible! Did you eventually win your appeal? This is exactly what I'm worried about.
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TillyCombatwarrior
Yeah I won but it took ELEVEN WEEKS and I had to submit emails proving they never offered me additional hours. Total nightmare.
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Anna Xian
•I had the exact same issue! Was told I'd get partial unemployment for reduced hours, then ended up in a 3-month battle with DOL after my employer claimed hours were 'available.' When I tried calling the unemployment office to explain, I could never get through. Finally found Claimyr (claimyr.com) which got me connected to an agent in about 20 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE - saved me from having to repay benefits I rightfully deserved.
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Jungleboo Soletrain
You are absolutely entitled to partial benefits when your hours are reduced through no fault of your own. Your employer pays unemployment insurance specifically for situations like this - it's not a reflection on them and won't raise their rates for a one-time claim. Just make sure you accurately report your work days and earnings each week.
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Norman Fraser
•That makes me feel better about filing. I definitely don't want to do anything wrong or cause problems with my job.
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Hattie Carson
wait do u still have to do the job search requirements even for partial? thats confusing when ur still employed
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Kendrick Webb
•Good question. For partial unemployment, you still technically need to meet the work search requirements (3 work search activities per week in 2025). However, if you have a definite return date to full-time work with your current employer within 4 weeks, you can be exempt from the search requirements. You should document this in your certification.
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Dyllan Nantx
the website is SO CONFUSING with partial unemployment!! i tried for like an hour last week and gave up lol
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Norman Fraser
•I know right? Their whole system seems designed to make things as complicated as possible!
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Kendrick Webb
One more important thing: if your hours increase again next week, you just stop certifying. There's no need to formally close your claim or notify them that you're back to full-time. The claim stays open for a year, so if your hours get reduced again, you can simply start certifying again during those weeks.
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Norman Fraser
•That's super helpful to know! Thank you for all the advice.
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