How does NYS Department of Labor find out you have a job while on unemployment?
I'm currently collecting unemployment benefits and just started a part-time job that I haven't reported yet. I know I'm supposed to report it but I'm wondering how the NYS Department of Labor actually finds out if someone gets a job? Do they cross-reference with employers or the IRS? I want to report it properly but I'm curious about their detection methods. Has anyone here been caught not reporting work?
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Ava Thompson
You need to report ANY work immediately when you file your weekly claim. NYS Department of Labor has multiple ways to detect unreported work including quarterly wage reports from employers, tax database matches, and even social media monitoring in some cases. The penalties for not reporting work can include overpayment demands, disqualification, and even fraud charges.
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Dmitry Ivanov
•Thanks for the warning. I definitely don't want fraud charges. When I report the work on my weekly claim, will my benefits be reduced or completely stopped?
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Miguel Herrera
They cross-reference your SSN with employer quarterly wage reports that get submitted to the state. It might take a few months but they WILL catch it eventually. I've seen people get hit with huge overpayment bills because they thought they could hide part-time work. Just report it honestly - you can usually still get partial benefits if you're working part-time.
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Zainab Ali
•This is exactly what happened to my cousin. She didn't report her weekend catering job for 3 months and got a $2,800 overpayment notice. The stress wasn't worth it.
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Connor Murphy
omg yes they definitely find out!! my friend thought she was being smart by not reporting her cash job but somehow they still caught her. idk how but they did and now she owes like $4000 back to NYS Department of Labor. not worth the risk at all
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Yara Nassar
The detection methods are pretty sophisticated now. Besides employer wage reports, they can match your info against new hire databases, unemployment insurance databases from other states, and even federal databases. If you're having trouble getting through to NYS Department of Labor to clarify reporting requirements, I had success using Claimyr (claimyr.com) to actually reach a real agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Way better than sitting on hold for hours.
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Dmitry Ivanov
•That service sounds interesting. I've been trying to call NYS Department of Labor for days to ask about partial benefit calculations but keep getting disconnected.
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StarGazer101
Just report the work when you file your weekly claim! You'll probably still get some benefits if it's part-time. The partial benefit formula lets you earn up to a certain amount before your UI gets reduced. Better to do it right than risk the penalties later.
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Keisha Jackson
Yeah definitely report it. I was paranoid about this too when I got a temp job but reporting it was no big deal. They just adjusted my weekly benefit amount based on what I earned. The NYS Department of Labor system is set up to handle people working part-time while collecting.
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Dmitry Ivanov
•That's reassuring to hear. I was worried they'd cut me off completely for any work at all.
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