Can I collect NY unemployment benefits while working part-time hours?

Yes, you can definitely receive partial unemployment benefits in NY while working part-time. It's called partial unemployment. When you certify weekly, you'll report the days you worked (even partial days count as full days worked). If you work 4 or more days in a week or earn more than $594 in a week, you won't receive benefits for that week. NY uses a day-based system rather than an hourly one. Each day you work (even just 1 hour) counts as a day worked: - Work 0 days = full weekly benefit amount - Work 1 day = 75% of weekly benefit - Work 2 days = 50% of weekly benefit - Work 3 days = 25% of weekly benefit - Work 4+ days = no benefit for that week Make sure to report your gross wages (before taxes) for the week when you certify.

I went thru this EXACT situation last year! My retail job cut my hours from 38 to 12 a week and I got partial unemployment. It SAVED ME. But be super careful - if you work even 1 hour on a day, NY counts the whole day as "worked". So try to consolidate your hours into fewer days if possible. I rearranged my schedule to work 2 full days instead of 4 partial days and got way more benefits that way. Also don't forget you MUST report ALL earnings when you certify every week!

I tryed this and they DENIED me becuz i accidently put wrong info on my application. Then I couldnt get threw on the phone for 3 WEEKS to fix it!!! Total nightmare. Make sure ur super careful filling out the forms.

Be VERY careful about reporting your work days correctly!!! My friend got hit with a fraud allegation because she misunderstood how to report her part-time work. The system is DESIGNED to catch people who mess up. They consider even 30 minutes of work as an entire DAY worked. I'm not trying to scare you, just saying you need to be super precise or they'll come after you for overpayment later.

I was in construction and when winter came I got partial benefits while working reduced hours. The key thing NY unemployment looks at is how many DAYS you work, not just your hours or pay. Like others said, try to get your hours consolidated into fewer days if possible. Also call early in the morning to get your application processed faster - later in the day the wait times are insane.

wait i have a question about this too! if ur weekly benefit amount is supposed to be $350 but u work 2 days, do u get exactly 50% which would be $175? or is there some weird calculation they do?

Update: I talked to my manager and he said he can schedule my 15 hours over just 2 days instead of spreading them out! Based on your advice, that sounds like it'll be much better for unemployment benefits. I'm going to apply this weekend. Thanks everyone for the help!

My situation was different but sorta related - I had TWO part-time jobs and lost one completely. Got partial unemployment for that. Had to report the income from the job I still had every week. One thing to remember is they ask about work days from Monday-Sunday, not your employer's workweek. Messed me up at first.

On the technical side, make sure you answer "YES" to the question "Did you work less than 4 days and earn less than $594?" during your weekly certification if that applies to you. Answer "YES" to "Have you returned to work?" since you're still employed. Then accurately report number of days worked and gross earnings before deductions. It's straightforward once you understand the system.