Can you apply for unemployment if you have a second job - NYS Department of Labor rules?
I just lost my main job at a restaurant where I was working full-time as a server, but I still have my weekend job at a retail store (about 12 hours per week). The retail job only pays like $180 a week which isn't nearly enough to cover my rent. Can I still file for unemployment benefits with NYS Department of Labor even though I'm technically still employed part-time? I'm really confused about how this works and don't want to mess up my claim by reporting it wrong.
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Megan D'Acosta
Yes, you can definitely apply for unemployment if you lost your main job. NYS Department of Labor allows partial unemployment benefits when you're working reduced hours or lost one of multiple jobs. You'll need to report your part-time earnings each week when you certify, and they'll reduce your benefit amount accordingly. The key is being honest about all work and wages when you file your initial claim and on your weekly certifications.
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Samantha Howard
•Thank you! So I should list both jobs when I apply, even though I only lost one of them? And will they base my benefit amount on just the job I lost or both jobs combined?
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Sarah Ali
You report the part-time work every week and they'll deduct it from your benefits. Usually you can earn up to about 25% of your weekly benefit rate before they start reducing your payment dollar for dollar. But definitely apply - partial unemployment is exactly for situations like yours where you lost significant income but still have some work.
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Ryan Vasquez
•This is exactly what happened to me last year! I was working two jobs and lost the better paying one. NYS Department of Labor approved my claim and I got partial benefits for about 4 months until I found another full-time position.
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Avery Saint
Wait I'm confused about this too. If you're still working at all, don't they consider you employed? I thought unemployment was only for people who are completely out of work. This is really confusing and the NYS Department of Labor website doesn't explain it clearly.
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Megan D'Acosta
•No, that's a common misconception. Unemployment insurance covers partial unemployment too - when your hours or wages are significantly reduced through no fault of your own. The system recognizes that people often work multiple jobs and losing one can create financial hardship.
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Avery Saint
•Oh wow, I had no idea. I've been struggling with reduced hours at my job and thought I couldn't apply for anything. This is really helpful information.
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Taylor Chen
I've been trying to get through to NYS Department of Labor for weeks about a similar situation but their phone lines are impossible. Does anyone know a better way to reach them? I keep getting disconnected after waiting for hours and my claim has been pending forever.
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Sarah Ali
•I had the same problem until someone told me about claimyr.com - it's a service that calls NYS Department of Labor for you and gets you connected to an agent. I was skeptical at first but it actually worked. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that explains how it works. Worth checking out if you're stuck in phone hell like I was.
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Taylor Chen
•Really? That sounds too good to be true but at this point I'm desperate. I'll definitely look into it, thanks!
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Keith Davidson
Just make sure you report everything accurately because they will find out about your other job through wage records anyway. Better to be upfront than deal with an overpayment notice later.
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Aisha Hussain
I went through this exact same situation about 6 months ago when I lost my full-time office job but kept my part-time evening gig at a bookstore. The application process was actually pretty straightforward - you definitely need to report both jobs during the initial filing, including wages from both for the base period they ask about. They'll calculate your weekly benefit rate based on your total earnings history, then subtract your part-time wages each week when you certify. In my case, I was earning about $150/week from the bookstore and still qualified for a decent partial benefit. The main thing is to be completely honest about all income sources from day one. Good luck!
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Yara Campbell
•This is really reassuring to hear from someone who's been through the exact same situation! I'm actually in a very similar spot - lost my main job but still have weekend work. Your point about being honest from day one is so important. I've been worried about how to report everything correctly, but it sounds like as long as you're upfront about both jobs and all your earnings, the system is designed to handle partial unemployment situations. Did you find the weekly certification process complicated when you had to report your bookstore earnings each week?
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