Can NYS Department of Labor tell if you are working while collecting unemployment?

Yes, NYS Department of Labor has multiple ways to verify employment status. They cross-reference data from various sources including wage reports from employers, tax records, and other government databases. When employers hire someone, they're required to report new hires to the state directory, which can be checked against active unemployment claims. As long as you're honest on your weekly claims and report any work or earnings immediately, you have nothing to worry about.

they definitely check!! my cousin got caught working under the table while collecting and had to pay back like $8000 plus penalties. not worth the risk

I was so stressed about this same thing when I was on UI last year! Turns out if you're honest and report everything properly, the system actually works in your favor. You can work part-time and still receive partial benefits as long as you report the earnings correctly. The key is transparency.

The NYS Department of Labor uses automated systems that flag discrepancies between reported earnings and employer wage records. If there's a mismatch, they'll initiate an investigation. I had to deal with this once when my employer reported my wages late and it looked like I hadn't reported income. Was resolved quickly once I provided documentation, but it shows they're definitely monitoring. If you're having trouble reaching them about issues like this, I used claimyr.com which helped me get through to an actual agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works.

HONESTLY the system is so messed up anyway, they probably know more about your work history than you do!! but yeah just be honest, thats what my case worker told me when i had questions

I totally understand your paranoia - I felt the same way when I first started collecting! The good news is that if you're being honest and reporting everything correctly on your weekly certifications, you're doing exactly what you're supposed to do. The DOL's monitoring systems are really designed to catch people who are trying to game the system, not people who are following the rules. I've been through the process myself and as long as you keep reporting any work or income (even small amounts), you'll be fine. The transparency is what protects you if any questions come up later.

I work in HR and can confirm that employers are required to report new hires to the State Directory of New Hires within 20 days of hire date. This database is cross-referenced with active unemployment claims. Additionally, quarterly wage reports that employers submit to the state are used to verify earnings. The system is pretty comprehensive - they can detect unreported work through multiple data sources including bank records in some cases. But like everyone else has said, as long as you're truthful on your weekly certifications, you're protected. The fraud detection is really targeting people who are deliberately hiding employment, not honest mistakes or reporting delays.

I went through the same anxiety when I first started collecting! What helped me was setting up a simple spreadsheet to track everything - dates worked, hours, gross pay, etc. Even for one-day gigs or freelance work. The DOL actually has pretty clear guidelines on their website about what constitutes reportable income. I found that being overly cautious with reporting (even reporting income that was borderline) gave me peace of mind. The automated systems are really sophisticated, but they're designed to flag patterns of fraud, not honest people making good faith efforts to comply. Keep doing what you're doing with accurate weekly reporting and you'll be fine!

As someone who's new to unemployment benefits myself, I really appreciate everyone sharing their experiences here! The transparency theme that keeps coming up is so important. I've been worried about similar things, especially since the whole process feels overwhelming when you're going through it for the first time. It's reassuring to know that the DOL's systems are designed to catch intentional fraud rather than penalize people who are making honest efforts to comply. I think the key takeaway is that if you're documenting everything and reporting accurately on your weekly certifications, the monitoring systems actually work to protect you rather than catch you in some kind of trap. Thanks for all the helpful insights!