Can you receive unemployment if you quit your job - NYS Department of Labor eligibility question

Generally speaking, if you quit your job voluntarily, you won't qualify for unemployment benefits in New York. NYS Department of Labor requires that you be unemployed through no fault of your own. However, there are some exceptions for 'good cause' situations like unsafe working conditions, harassment, or significant changes to your job terms. The schedule changes and hour cuts you mentioned might qualify as constructive dismissal if they're severe enough.

i quit my job last year because my boss was being a total jerk and i didnt get unemployment. they said it was voluntary separation so no benefits

Before you quit, document everything! Keep records of the schedule changes, any emails about hour cuts, and try to get things in writing. If you can show that your employer constructively dismissed you by making your job untenable, you might have a case. You could also file for partial unemployment now if your hours have been significantly reduced - NYS Department of Labor allows this if you're working less than 4 days per week.

I had the worst time trying to reach someone at NYS Department of Labor when I had questions about my claim. Spent hours calling and either got busy signals or got disconnected. Finally found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that actually got me through to a real person at the unemployment office. They have this video demo showing exactly how it works: https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI. Saved me so much frustration dealing with the phone system.

Just wanted to add that if you do quit and apply for benefits, NYS Department of Labor will contact your employer to verify the reason for separation. If your employer disputes your claim and says you quit without good cause, you'll have to go through an adjudication process that can take weeks. Make sure you have solid documentation if you're going to claim constructive dismissal.