Do I need to file a new NY unemployment claim if I'm still owed 10 weeks of benefits?

probably need 2 reopen ur claim not file new 1. there's a diff button for that

You need to reopen your existing claim if it's been less than a year since your initial filing date. Login to your NY.gov account, go to 'Unemployment Services' and look for the 'Reopen a claim' option. Make sure you have your employment information for the temporary job ready, including start/end dates and reason for separation. The system will ask for this information during the reopening process.

I went through exactly this in January!!! It was a NIGHTMARE getting through to anyone. I kept trying to reopen online but it wouldn't let me because of some issue with my temporary job information. The website kept giving me an error!!! I tried calling for TWO WEEKS straight and couldn't get through. I was literally about to give up when someone told me about this service called Claimyr that got me through to an actual person at NY unemployment in less than an hour!! Seriously check out their video demo: https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE - their website is claimyr.com - saved me from pulling my hair out!

I'm in the exact same boat right now actually - had 8 weeks left when I found temp work in December, now I need to go back on. The important thing is whether you're still within your BENEFIT YEAR. That's the 12-month period from when you FIRST filed. If you're still in that year, you reopen. If that year expired, you file new. Also, be aware that if your temp job was actual employment (W2) and not contractor work, they might recalculate your weekly benefit amount based on that work. Mine actually went up by $64/week because my temp job paid more than my previous base period jobs!

Reopening is pretty straightforward IF the system cooperates! Sometimes the website glitches and you get stuck in an endless loop. If that happens, try clearing your cache or using a different browser. That fixed it for me back in March when I had to reopen mine.

Just be aware that if your benefit year has expired, you WILL need to file a completely new claim regardless of how many weeks you had left. The benefit year is typically 12 months from your initial filing date and is completely separate from how many benefit weeks you have remaining. Also, make sure you report your temporary employment correctly when reopening, including exact start and end dates. Any discrepancies can trigger a review that delays your payments. I recommend having your last paystub handy when you reopen the claim.

did u try calling them yet? might be faster

i was in ur situation last yr and i was on hold for 3 HOURS before someone picked up!!! then they hung up on me hahaha had to start all over the next day

Just wanted to update - I successfully reopened my claim online yesterday. The process took about 20 minutes. They did ask for detailed information about my temporary employment, so definitely have that ready. My first certification was processed without issues and payment is already pending in my account. So it definitely works!