Can you collect unemployment while going to school - NYS Department of Labor rules?

Yes, you can generally collect unemployment while attending school in New York, but there are some important rules. You must still be able and available for full-time work, and you need to continue your job search activities. Part-time evening classes are usually fine as long as they don't interfere with your ability to accept a job offer. Make sure to report your school attendance when you file your weekly claims.

i went to school while on unemployment last year and had no problems. just make sure you can still work full time if someone offers you a job. the classes cant conflict with normal work hours

Be very careful about this. NYS Department of Labor can be strict about the 'able and available' requirement. If your school schedule makes you unavailable for work during normal business hours, they could disqualify you. I'd recommend calling them to clarify your specific situation before enrolling. The phone lines are always busy though - I've had better luck using a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helps you actually get through to speak with an agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works.

The whole system is ridiculous if you ask me. They want you to find work but then make it nearly impossible to improve your skills. I tried to take a certification course last year and they gave me such a hard time about it. Make sure you document EVERYTHING about your school schedule and job search efforts.

Wait, I'm confused about this too. I thought if you're in school you automatically can't get unemployment? My cousin told me that but maybe she was wrong?

Just wanted to add that if you're doing any kind of vocational training approved by NYS Department of Labor, there might be different rules. I did a welding program through them and didn't have to do the regular job search requirements during that time.

I went through this exact situation about 8 months ago when I enrolled in evening business classes at SUNY. The key thing is making sure your class schedule doesn't conflict with potential work opportunities. I made sure to schedule all my classes after 6 PM and kept my days completely free for job interviews and work. When I filed my weekly claims, I always reported that I was attending school but emphasized that I remained available for full-time employment during business hours. Never had any issues with my benefits. Just be honest on your weekly certifications and keep detailed records of your job search activities - they may ask for proof that you're actively looking for work despite being in school.

I'm in a similar situation and just wanted to share what I learned from speaking with a NYS Department of Labor representative last month. They told me that as long as your school schedule doesn't prevent you from accepting immediate full-time employment, you should be fine. The key is being able to say "yes" if an employer calls you for an interview or job offer during regular business hours. Evening and weekend classes are generally okay, but you still need to actively search for work each week and be ready to drop classes if you get a job that conflicts with your schedule. I'd suggest keeping a detailed log of your job search activities and maybe even noting the times you apply for jobs to show you're prioritizing employment over education. Also, when you do your weekly certification, there's usually a question about attending school - just answer honestly and explain that your availability for work hasn't changed.

I actually went through this exact same process about a year ago and wanted to share my experience. I was on unemployment for about 3 months and decided to take evening classes at a local community college for web development. The most important thing I learned is to be completely transparent from the start. When I first enrolled, I called the NYS Department of Labor (took forever to get through) and explained my situation. They told me that as long as I could prove I was still actively job searching and available for work during normal business hours, it would be fine. I made sure all my classes were after 6 PM and kept detailed records of every job application I submitted, including screenshots and timestamps. On my weekly certifications, I always checked "yes" to attending school but included a note that it was evening classes and didn't interfere with my work availability. Never had any issues with my benefits, and honestly the structure of having classes helped keep me motivated during the job search. The skills I learned in those classes actually helped me land my current job! Just make sure you're prepared to prioritize work if you get an offer that conflicts with class times.

I'm currently in this exact situation right now! Started part-time evening classes at my community college about 3 weeks ago while collecting UI benefits. So far so good - I've been completely honest on my weekly certifications about attending school and haven't had any issues. My classes are all Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 7-10 PM, which leaves me completely available for work during business hours. I think the key is really making sure your schedule doesn't conflict with potential job opportunities and being upfront about it. I've actually found that having the structure of classes has made me more organized with my job search - I dedicate Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings specifically to applications and follow-ups. One thing I'd recommend is taking a screenshot of your class schedule to keep in your records, just in case NYS DOL ever asks for documentation. The evening timing has been perfect because most employers aren't scheduling interviews after 6 PM anyway. Good luck with whatever program you're considering!

I was in a very similar situation about 6 months ago and ended up taking evening classes while on UI without any problems. The most important thing is to be completely upfront about it - I always answered "yes" to the school attendance question on my weekly certifications and included a brief note that my classes were in the evenings and didn't affect my availability for work. I made sure to schedule everything after 5:30 PM specifically to avoid any conflicts with potential job interviews or work opportunities. One thing that really helped was keeping a simple spreadsheet tracking both my job applications AND my class attendance, just to show I was balancing both responsibly. The structure actually made me more disciplined about my job search - I treated finding work like my full-time job during the day and used evenings for skill development. Never had any issues with my benefits, and the new skills I learned definitely came up positively in interviews. Just make sure whatever program you choose has flexible attendance policies in case you need to miss class for job interviews or if you land a position that starts right away.

I'm also considering this and really appreciate everyone sharing their experiences! From what I'm reading, it seems like the consensus is that evening/weekend classes are generally okay as long as you maintain full availability for work during business hours and are transparent about it. The key points I'm taking away are: 1) Be honest on weekly certifications, 2) Keep detailed records of both job search activities and class schedules, 3) Make sure classes don't conflict with potential work opportunities, and 4) Be prepared to prioritize employment if needed. It's really encouraging to see so many success stories where people balanced both successfully and even found that the structure and new skills helped their job search. For those who called NYS DOL directly - was there any specific documentation they asked for about your school enrollment, or was verbal confirmation enough when you explained your situation?

I've been following this thread as someone who's also considering evening classes while on UI, and I wanted to add one more perspective based on my research. I spoke with an advisor at my local One-Stop Career Center (part of the workforce development system) and they mentioned that taking classes in high-demand fields can actually strengthen your position if NYS DOL ever reviews your claim. They said it shows you're actively working to improve your employability rather than just collecting benefits. The advisor also pointed out that many employers actually view continuing education during unemployment positively - it demonstrates initiative and commitment to professional growth. Just make sure whatever program you choose aligns with job opportunities in your area so you can clearly articulate how it supports your job search goals. The career center also has resources to help connect your new skills with local employers, which could be valuable documentation of how your education supports your work search efforts.

I just wanted to jump in and say how incredibly helpful this entire thread has been! I'm in almost the exact same situation as the original poster - been on UI for about 5 weeks and was really nervous about enrolling in evening classes at my community college. Reading everyone's real experiences has been so much more valuable than trying to decode the official DOL language on their website. The consistent theme seems to be transparency and maintaining clear availability for work during business hours. I'm definitely going to follow the advice about keeping detailed records and being upfront on my weekly certifications. It's also really encouraging to hear from people like @CosmicCowboy and @Javier Mendoza who not only managed both successfully but actually found that the new skills helped in their job search. I think I'm going to move forward with enrollment in a digital marketing certificate program - it's all evening classes and directly relates to jobs I'm applying for. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences, especially those currently doing this right now!

I'm currently going through this exact situation and wanted to share what I've learned so far. I enrolled in evening accounting classes at my local SUNY campus about a month ago while collecting UI benefits. The key things that have worked for me: 1) I called NYS DOL before enrolling to get guidance (used that Claimyr service someone mentioned to actually get through), 2) All my classes are after 6 PM so there's zero conflict with work availability, 3) I'm completely transparent on my weekly certifications - I check yes for school attendance and add a note that it's evening classes only, and 4) I keep screenshots of every job application with timestamps to show I'm still actively searching during business hours. So far no issues with my benefits, and I've actually had two interviews where employers were impressed that I was using unemployment time to gain relevant skills. The structure has helped me stay motivated and organized with my job search too. Just make sure whatever program you choose has flexible policies in case you need to miss class for interviews or if you land a job quickly!