Can I claim NY unemployment while doing part-time DoorDash? Not making enough

Yes, you can still file for unemployment while doing DoorDash part-time! I was in a similar situation last year. NY unemployment has partial benefits if you're working less than 4 days per week AND earning less than $594 in weekly benefits. You'll need to report your DoorDash earnings each week when you certify. They'll reduce your benefit amount based on how much you earn, but you'll still get something if you're making as little as you describe. Just be super accurate reporting your earnings - they can check with gig companies now and if they find discrepancies, you might have to pay back benefits plus penalties.

u can still do uber eats and doordash and stuff and get benefits but u gotta tell them EVERY PENNY u make or they'll come after u trust me lol happened to my cousin

This EXACT situation happened to me!! I was doing Instacart part-time after getting laid off but it wasn't enough to pay bills. When I filed for unemployment, they asked about all income sources and I honestly reported my gig work. They STILL approved me, just for a reduced amount based on what I was making. BUT OMG the phone system to reach someone at NYSDOL is HORRIBLE!!! I had to call 46 TIMES over 3 days to get through to someone who could answer my questions about how to properly report my fluctuating gig income!!!! Total nightmare!!!!

your supposed to report ALL income when certifying each week. doesnt mean you wont get benefits but they subtract some

The way NY unemployment handles part-time work is using a day-based system AND an income reduction. Here's how it works: - If you work 0 days in a week: 100% of your benefit rate - If you work 1 day: 75% of your benefit rate - If you work 2 days: 50% of your benefit rate - If you work 3 days: 25% of your benefit rate - If you work 4+ days: 0% benefit With DoorDash, it gets tricky because you need to count how many days you worked, even if it was just for an hour. So if you did DoorDash on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday, that's 3 days of work, even if you only made $150 total. For self-employment like DoorDash, count a day of work as any day you spend 4+ hours working OR any day you earn more than $11 per hour based on your benefit rate. Make sure to keep detailed records of exactly which days you work and how much you earn each day. You'll certify weekly and report this information. Be extremely accurate as they do cross-check with gig companies.

I tried getting unemployment while doing DoorDash last year and it was such a hassle. The system kept flagging my account because the income was different every week and I had to keep calling to explain. Eventually I just quit DoorDash because it wasn't worth the headache with unemployment. Just my experience though.

To answer your earlier question about the calculation - it's not a straight dollar-for-dollar reduction. NY uses that day-based system another commenter mentioned, but there's also a maximum earnings threshold. Basically, if your weekly benefit rate is $504, and you work 2 days a week doing DoorDash, you'd get 50% of your benefit - so $252. But if you earn more than 1.5x your benefit rate (so $756 for you), you'd get zero benefits for that week regardless of days worked. As weird as it sounds, sometimes working fewer days but making more money per day works out better for unemployment purposes. Just make sure you're considering gas costs and vehicle wear when calculating if DoorDash is even worth it.

my roomate does doordash and gets benefits he says just do it on 2 days only and ull get more money that way

Another important thing: DoorDash doesn't withhold taxes, so you'll need to set aside money for that. And the income from both unemployment AND DoorDash is taxable. You can choose to have taxes withheld from your unemployment benefits (recommended), but you'll still need to handle the taxes on your gig work separately.

Just to add one more crucial detail - make sure you're filing as a W-2 employee who lost your job, not as a self-employed person. Your DoorDash work is considered self-employment, but your claim should be based on your previous W-2 warehouse job. This gives you regular UI benefits rather than PUA or other programs that might be less beneficial. When you file, you'll need your employment history from your warehouse job, and you'll indicate that you're currently working part-time self-employment. And as others have said, be absolutely meticulous about reporting which days you work and how much you earn each week when certifying. The system is designed to catch inconsistencies.

One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet - when you're doing DoorDash, make sure you're tracking your mileage and expenses really carefully. Not just for taxes, but also because your "net earnings" for unemployment purposes should be what you actually make after gas, vehicle wear, etc. I'd also recommend applying for unemployment ASAP if you haven't already. The process can take a while to get started, and you want to establish your claim based on your warehouse job before too much time passes. You can always adjust your weekly certifications to include the DoorDash income once you start receiving benefits. Good luck with everything - being laid off is stressful enough without having to navigate all these rules!

Actually, I need to correct something from an earlier comment - NY unemployment doesn't use net earnings for gig work reporting. You need to report your GROSS earnings from DoorDash, not after deducting gas and expenses. The expenses are only relevant for your tax filing, not for unemployment certification. So if you made $200 from DoorDash in a week, you report $200 even if you spent $50 on gas. The unemployment system doesn't factor in your business expenses when calculating benefit reductions. This is different from how taxes work, where you can deduct business expenses. But for unemployment purposes, they want to know your total earnings before any deductions. Just wanted to clarify that since there seemed to be some confusion in the thread!

Just wanted to add that you should definitely file your initial claim online through the NY DOL website rather than trying to call - the online system is much more reliable and you can do it 24/7. When you get to the section about current employment, there will be a question specifically about self-employment or gig work where you can indicate you're doing DoorDash. Also, keep screenshots or records of your DoorDash earnings dashboard each week before you certify. I learned this the hard way when they asked me to verify my reported earnings months later and I had to dig through old records. Having weekly screenshots saved me a lot of headache. One more tip - if you're in NYC, there are some local workforce development centers that can help you navigate the unemployment system for free. They're familiar with gig work situations and might be able to answer questions without you having to deal with the terrible phone system.

There are definitely workforce development centers in Queens! The Queens Public Library has several locations that offer free employment services, including help with unemployment claims. The Jamaica and Flushing branches have dedicated workforce development staff. There's also the Queens Community House and SBS (Small Business Services) has American Job Centers throughout the borough. You can find locations and contact info on the NYC.gov website under "Jobs and Workforce Development." Most of these places are used to helping people navigate unemployment while doing gig work since it's become so common. Much better than trying to get through on that impossible phone line! Also, since you're in Queens, you might have better luck with DoorDash orders in areas like Astoria, Long Island City, or near the colleges. The delivery demand can vary a lot by neighborhood.