How many Coursera hours count as valid NY unemployment work search activity?

According to the NY DOL guidelines, you need to document any job training activities as part of your work search efforts. For Coursera or any online learning platform, there's no specific hourly requirement, but you should be completing a meaningful amount of coursework. I recommend documenting at least 1-2 hours per day when you count it as a work search activity. Make sure you're taking courses relevant to your career field and keep detailed records of what you completed each day, including course names, modules finished, and time spent. This will be important if you get audited.

I did online courses when i was on unemployment last year and my case worker said it was fine but you have to DOCUMENT EVERYTHING!!! make sure you write down the name of the course, instructor, date, time you spent, and what you learned. They might ask for proof so take screenshots when u finish modules.

The NYSDOL requires 3 work search activities per week, and online coursework can count toward that requirement if it's enhancing your employability in your field. There's no specified minimum hourly requirement, but the activity should be substantial enough to be considered legitimate professional development. I recommend: 1. Complete at least 3-4 hours of coursework per week (not necessarily all in one day) 2. Keep detailed logs including dates, course titles, skills learned, and time spent 3. Save completion certificates or screenshots of progress 4. Make sure the courses directly relate to jobs you're seeking Also important: Coursera alone isn't sufficient - you need to mix in other work search activities like job applications, networking, and interviews to meet the full requirements.

I've been on NY unemployment since January and I do Coursera too. Nobody told me exactly how much time I need to spend but I usually do about an hour each time and count it as one work search activity. But I'm also applying to jobs and going to workshops. I wouldn't rely just on Coursera for all your activities.

when i was on unemployment i tried calling them to ask this EXACT question and sat on hold for 3 HOURS!!!! never got through to anyone. the system is so broken its ridiculous.

The official NYSDOL work search requirements focus more on the nature of the activity rather than specific time durations. Here's what you need to understand: 1. Each work search activity should be meaningful and substantive enough to enhance your employability 2. For Coursera specifically: - The course should be relevant to your career field - You should document completion of specific modules or lessons - Quality matters more than quantity - completing one substantial module thoroughly is better than skimming multiple lessons 3. Documentation requirements: - Date and time spent - Course title and provider (Coursera) - Skills or knowledge gained - How it enhances your employability If audited, you'll need to demonstrate that the training was legitimate professional development, not just casual browsing. Most importantly, ensure you're meeting the required number of work search activities per week (typically 3) through a combination of different methods.

I think everyone here is overthinking it. I just put down "Completed professional development on Coursera" as one of my activities each week and never had an issue. As long as you're doing the minimum number of work search activities, they don't really dig into the details unless you get audited.

To follow up on my earlier comment - I just checked the most recent NYSDOL guidelines (updated March 2025), and they've actually added more specific information about online learning. They now recommend that online coursework should include "substantial engagement" defined as completing full modules or lessons rather than just watching videos. While they still don't specify exact hours, they do mention that activities should generally be comparable to time spent on an in-person workshop or training session. So I'd say aim for at least an hour per session when you count it as a work search activity, and make sure you're completing actual modules, not just watching parts of videos.

anybody else notice that the work search requirements seem to change all the time?? i swear every person i talk to at DOL tells me something different!

I just went through a work search audit last month for my NY unemployment claim. They specifically asked about my Coursera activities. What they wanted to see was: 1. The specific courses I took 2. Dates and approximate time spent 3. How it related to my job search 4. Evidence of completion or progress I showed them my Coursera certificates and progress reports, plus my notes about how each course related to positions I was applying for. They accepted everything without issue. The auditor told me they're less concerned with exact hours and more interested in seeing that you're genuinely using the training to improve your employability.

Based on all the discussion here, here's a summary of best practices for using Coursera as part of your NY unemployment work search: 1. Time commitment: While there's no official minimum, aim for at least 1 hour per session when counting it as a work search activity 2. Documentation: Record dates, course titles, modules completed, skills learned, and relevance to your job search 3. Evidence: Save certificates, screenshots of completed modules, and course descriptions 4. Relevance: Ensure courses directly relate to your career field and job applications 5. Diversification: Use Coursera for only 1-2 of your required weekly activities; include direct job applications and networking for others Remember that the goal of the work search requirement is to enhance your employability and demonstrate that you're actively preparing to return to work. Quality and relevance matter more than hitting a specific hourly target.