Can you doordash while on unemployment NYS Department of Labor rules?
I've been collecting unemployment for about 6 weeks now and I'm thinking about doing some DoorDash deliveries to make extra money. But I'm worried about how this affects my NYS Department of Labor weekly claims. Do I need to report DoorDash earnings? Will it mess up my benefits? I don't want to accidentally commit fraud or anything. Has anyone here done gig work while on UI?
15 comments
Join the conversation
Emma Thompson
Yes, you absolutely need to report ALL earnings from DoorDash on your weekly claims. Even if it's just $20, you have to report it. The NYS Department of Labor will reduce your benefits dollar for dollar after you earn more than $504 per week (that's your partial benefit threshold). Make sure you keep track of your gross earnings, not just what you take home after gas and expenses.
0 coins
Javier Mendoza
•Thanks! So if I make like $100 doing DoorDash one week, I report the $100 and they'll still give me most of my regular benefit amount?
0 coins
Malik Davis
i've been doing uber eats while on unemployment and yeah you gotta report it all. the nys department of labor system asks about any work you did that week so just be honest about it
0 coins
Isabella Santos
One thing to watch out for - make sure you're still meeting your job search requirements even if you're doing DoorDash. You still need to apply to regular jobs and log them in the system. DoorDash counts as self-employment but it doesn't replace your obligation to look for permanent work. I learned this the hard way when my claim got flagged for review.
0 coins
StarStrider
•Wait, so doing gig work doesn't count toward your job search requirement? I thought any work activity would help...
0 coins
Isabella Santos
•No, gig work is considered self-employment. You still need to make your required job contacts for regular W-2 employment. Check your my.ny.gov account for how many job contacts you need per week.
0 coins
Ravi Gupta
I had issues getting through to NYS Department of Labor when my DoorDash earnings caused my claim to get stuck in adjudication. Couldn't reach anyone for weeks until someone told me about claimyr.com - they actually got me connected to an agent the same day. There's a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Saved me so much time calling and getting hung up on.
0 coins
Javier Mendoza
•How much does that service cost? I'm trying to avoid spending money I don't have right now.
0 coins
Ravi Gupta
•It's worth checking out their site for pricing info. For me it was definitely worth it compared to spending days trying to get through on my own.
0 coins
Freya Pedersen
Just make sure you understand that DoorDash sends you a 1099 at the end of the year, so this will all show up on your taxes anyway. The NYS Department of Labor will eventually see it if you don't report it properly. Better to be upfront about everything from the start.
0 coins
Omar Hassan
omg yes!! I was so nervous about this same thing when I started doing Instacart. Just report everything and you'll be fine. The system is set up to handle part time work
0 coins
Isabella Ferreira
I'm in a similar situation - just started collecting UI last month and considering doing some gig work to supplement. Reading through these responses is really helpful! One question I have is about tracking expenses - if I'm doing DoorDash and spending money on gas, can I deduct those expenses from what I report to NYS DOL, or do I need to report the full gross amount before any expenses? I want to make sure I'm doing this correctly from day one.
0 coins
Amina Diop
•You need to report the full gross amount before any expenses to NYS DOL. So if you earn $150 from DoorDash but spent $30 on gas, you still report the full $150 on your weekly claim. The expense deductions are something you handle later when you file your taxes with the 1099, but for unemployment purposes they only care about your gross earnings. It's definitely confusing but better to over-report than under-report!
0 coins
Emma Wilson
Another important thing to keep in mind - when you're doing DoorDash or any gig work while on UI, make sure you're setting aside money for taxes! Since you're getting 1099 income, there won't be any taxes withheld, so you might owe at tax time. I usually put about 25-30% of my gig earnings in a separate account to cover self-employment taxes. Also, keep detailed records of all your deliveries, mileage, and expenses - it'll make tax season much easier and help you maximize your deductions when you file.
0 coins
Avery Saint
•This is really smart advice! I didn't even think about the tax implications. So if I'm making like $200-300 a week from gig work, I should probably set aside around $60-90 for taxes? That's a good chunk but better than getting hit with a huge bill later. Do you use any apps to track your mileage automatically or do you just keep a manual log?
0 coins