Can I file for NY unemployment while working part-time as DoorDash driver?

Yes you can work part time while collecting UI. You just have to report your earnings each week. They'll reduce your benefit amount based on what you make from GrubHub. If you make too much in a week you might not get a UI payment for that week but your claim stays active. They use some formula to calculate the reduction.

I had the same situation last year, was doin Uber Eats while on unemployment. Found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to a real person at unemployment who explained everything. Best money I ever spent - got all my questions answered in one call instead of waiting for weeks. Check this video too: https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE

Have you tried filing a new claim yet? When your benefit year runs out you can file a new one, but since your job loss was over a year ago, they'll look at your work history over the last 18 months. So it might be just your grubhub earnings that count toward a new claim. That might not be enough to qualify for a decent benefit amount.

You def need to talk to someone at unemployment directly about this. The rules get complicated when you have gig work + previous w-2 employment. My brother went thru something similar and he ended up having to send them his gig work payment statements to prove his income.

The other thing to be aware of is that your base period for a new claim would be different now. When they calculate your benefit amount, they look at your highest earning quarter in the base period. Since you've been on unemployment and then gig work, your high quarter earnings might be much lower than before, so any new claim might give you a smaller weekly benefit than your previous one did.

Look, I'm gonna be real with you - ny unemployment system is a total nightmare right now. The rules are constantly changing, the website is garbage, and getting accurate info is like finding a unicorn. Your best bet is to file the new claim and see what happens. Worst case they deny you and you're in the same spot. Sometimes the online system will tell you things a real person would override.

I was in exactly your position! Working at MTA then laid off and did food delivery. Here's what I learned after months of dealing with this mess: First, you absolutely CAN file a new claim after your benefit year ends. With your extensive work history before being laid off, you should qualify for a new claim. Regarding your GrubHub work - here's the important part. NY unemployment uses a partial unemployment system. You certify each week and report how many days you worked (even partial days). Each day you work reduces your weekly benefit by 25%. So if you work 4 days, you get nothing that week, 3 days you get 25% of your benefit, etc. The key is that it's based on DAYS not dollars. So strategically, it's better to work fewer days but longer hours if possible. I eventually got through the endless phone maze by using claimyr.com which got me connected to a real agent who fixed everything. Seriously saved my sanity. Two other tips: 1) When you file a new claim, your base period will be different and might not include your highest earning quarters anymore, so your weekly benefit might be lower 2) Make sure you're prepared to provide documentation about your gig work - they sometimes request proof of your earnings Hope this helps! The system is frustrating but once you get it sorted out, it works.

anyone else think its ridiculous that the system punishes people for trying to work part time? like I could make more by NOT working at all some weeks 🤡

Just a heads up that NY unemployment has been cracking down on people who don't report their gig work earnings correctly. Make sure you report accurately each week bc they can hit you with a fraud determination and make you pay everything back WITH penalties. Not worth the risk.

The whole system is designed to be confusing on purpose I swear... make it hard enough and people will just give up on getting what they're entitled to 🤬

One thing nobody mentioned is that even if you don't qualify for a new UI claim based on recent work history, you might be eligible for other assistance programs while you look for full-time work. Check out NY SNAP benefits or the Heap program for utility assistance. It's not the same as UI but can help in the meantime.

I remember when unemployment had actual offices you could walk into and talk to a human being. Now everything is online and you can never reach anyone. I been through 3 recessions now and this system is the absolute worst it's ever been.

Quick question - has anyone here had any luck getting unemployment to count your gig work earnings from before you were laid off from a regular job? I was doing both and they only counted my W-2 work when calculating my benefit amount.