Can I get NYS Department of Labor unemployment benefits while attending college classes?
I'm thinking about going back to school part-time to finish my degree while I'm unemployed. I've been collecting unemployment for about 6 weeks now and things are going smoothly with my weekly claims. But I'm worried that if I enroll in classes, NYS Department of Labor might cut off my benefits or say I'm not available for work. Has anyone dealt with this before? I really need to keep getting my unemployment payments but I also want to use this time productively. The classes would be in the evenings so I could still work during the day if I found a job.
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Ella Russell
You can attend school while on unemployment in NY, but there are specific rules you need to follow. You have to remain able and available for work, which means you can't refuse job offers because of your class schedule. Evening classes are usually fine since most jobs are during the day. When you do your weekly claim certification, you'll need to answer honestly about your availability. The key is proving you're still actively seeking work and would accept suitable employment even if it conflicts with your school schedule.
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Aaliyah Reed
•That makes sense about being available for work. So if an employer wanted to interview me during class time, I'd have to skip class for the interview?
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Mohammed Khan
i went to community college while getting unemployment last year and never had any problems. just make sure you keep doing your job search activities and don't mention the school thing unless they specifically ask
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Gavin King
•Actually, you should be honest on your weekly claims about your availability. NYS Department of Labor can audit your records and if they find out you weren't fully available because of school commitments, you might have to pay back benefits.
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Nathan Kim
The NYS Department of Labor has specific guidelines about this. You need to be available for full-time work during normal business hours. If your classes interfere with that availability, you could be disqualified. However, if you can demonstrate that your education actually improves your job prospects and you're still conducting an active job search, they're usually more flexible. I'd recommend calling NYS Department of Labor directly to discuss your specific situation before enrolling.
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Aaliyah Reed
•I've been trying to call NYS Department of Labor for two weeks but can never get through! The phone just rings and rings or I get a busy signal.
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Eleanor Foster
•I had the same problem trying to reach NYS Department of Labor about my claim issues. Someone told me about this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helps you actually get through to a real person at unemployment offices. I was skeptical but watched their demo video (https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI) and decided to try it. Got connected to an NYS Department of Labor agent within an hour and got my questions answered. Might be worth checking out if you really need to talk to someone.
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Lucas Turner
This whole system is so confusing! I'm in a similar situation - got laid off from my retail job and want to take some online courses. But I'm terrified that if I mention school on my weekly claim, they'll automatically disqualify me. The questions on the certification form are so unclear about what counts as 'available for work.' What if the classes are completely online and I can do them anytime??
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Ella Russell
•Online classes with flexible scheduling are generally easier to manage with unemployment requirements. Since you can complete coursework at any time, you should still be considered available for work during normal business hours. Just document your job search activities carefully and be prepared to explain how your education enhances your employability.
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Kai Rivera
been there done that. took night classes at SUNY while collecting benefits for almost a year. never had an issue as long as i kept applying for jobs and was honest about my availability
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Aiden Rodríguez
I was in almost the exact same situation last year! I enrolled in part-time evening classes while collecting unemployment and it worked out fine. The key things that helped me: 1) I made sure my class schedule was only evenings/weekends so I was available for work during normal business hours, 2) I kept detailed records of all my job applications and interviews to show I was actively seeking work, and 3) When I filled out my weekly certifications, I answered "yes" to being available for work since I truly was available during typical work hours. NYS Department of Labor never questioned it. Just be prepared to drop a class if you get a job offer that conflicts with your schedule - your unemployment benefits depend on you being willing to accept suitable work. Good luck with school and the job search!
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Mateo Silva
•This is really helpful! I feel much more confident about enrolling now. Did you have to provide any documentation to NYS Department of Labor about your class schedule, or did they just take your word for it when you said you were available during business hours? Also, when you said "drop a class if you get a job offer" - did you mean permanently withdraw or just miss that particular class session?
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