Does going to school affect unemployment benefits with NYS Department of Labor?
I'm currently receiving unemployment benefits and got accepted to a community college program that starts next month. The classes are Monday through Thursday from 9am to 2pm. I'm worried this might mess up my benefits since I'd technically be in school during normal work hours. Does anyone know if NYS Department of Labor allows you to collect unemployment while attending school? I really need to keep my benefits while getting this certification but don't want to risk getting in trouble.
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Jamal Harris
You can attend school while on unemployment in NY but there are specific rules. You need to remain able and available for work, which means you have to be willing to quit school if you get a job offer. You also still need to do your job search activities and report them on your weekly claims. I'd recommend calling NYS Department of Labor to discuss your specific situation.
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Zoe Stavros
•That makes sense about being available for work. Do you know if there's a form I need to fill out to notify them about school?
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Mei Chen
I went through this exact situation last year. NYS Department of Labor approved my training program but I had to meet certain requirements. The program had to be job-related and I had to maintain my job search. Since your classes are only part-time (9-2), you should still be available for work outside those hours. Make sure you're honest about your school schedule when you file your weekly claims.
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Liam Sullivan
•Wait I thought you couldn't get unemployment if you're a student? This is confusing
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Mei Chen
•It's not that simple. Full-time students usually can't get benefits, but part-time school while actively seeking work is different. The key is proving you're still available for employment.
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Amara Okafor
honestly the whole system is so confusing!! I've been trying to get through to someone at NYS Department of Labor for weeks about my own school situation and can never reach anyone. their phone lines are always busy
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CosmicCommander
•I had the same problem until I found claimyr.com - it's a service that calls NYS Department of Labor for you and gets you connected to an actual agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Saved me hours of calling and getting hung up on. Worth checking out if you really need to speak to someone about your school situation.
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Giovanni Colombo
The important thing is that your school schedule can't interfere with your availability for work. Since you're only in class 9-2 four days a week, you should be fine as long as you're actively looking for jobs and would accept work that fits around your schedule. Just be completely honest on your weekly certifications about your availability.
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Zoe Stavros
•Thanks, that's reassuring. I'll make sure to note my availability accurately when I file each week.
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Fatima Al-Qasimi
Whatever you do don't lie about it! My cousin tried to hide that he was in school and when they found out during an audit he had to pay back thousands in overpayment. NYS Department of Labor takes fraud seriously so just be upfront about everything
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Yuki Kobayashi
I'm actually dealing with something similar right now. From what I've learned, NYS Department of Labor has a specific approval process for training programs while on unemployment called the 599 Training Program. If your community college program is job-related and leads to better employment prospects, you might be able to get it approved. This would protect you from the usual "available for work" requirements during class hours. I'd suggest looking into this option before you start classes - it could give you more security than just hoping your part-time schedule works out. You can find more info on their website under training opportunities for unemployment recipients.
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Sean O'Connor
•This is really helpful! I had no idea about the 599 Training Program. That sounds like exactly what I need since my community college program is definitely job-related - it's for a healthcare certification. Do you know how long the approval process takes? I'm worried about timing since classes start next month.
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