How many hours can you work and collect unemployment with NYS Department of Labor?
I'm getting conflicting information about working part-time while collecting unemployment benefits through NYS Department of Labor. My cousin says you can work up to 30 hours and still get benefits, but my neighbor thinks it's based on how much money you make, not hours. I got laid off from my full-time job last month and have been doing some freelance graphic design work - maybe 12-15 hours a week bringing in about $300. Am I allowed to do this and still collect my weekly unemployment? I don't want to mess up my claim but I really need the extra income right now.
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Isabella Costa
It's not really about the number of hours you work - NYS Department of Labor focuses more on your earnings. You can work and still collect partial unemployment benefits as long as you report all your work and earnings when you file your weekly claim. The key is that you have to be available for full-time work and actively searching for a new job. When you report earnings, they'll reduce your benefit amount but you might still get some unemployment money.
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NeonNebula
•So I should definitely report that freelance income when I do my weekly certification? I was worried it might disqualify me completely.
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Ravi Malhotra
You MUST report ALL work and earnings or you could face serious penalties including having to pay back benefits. NYS Department of Labor has a formula - they subtract 25% of your gross earnings from your weekly benefit rate. So if you're getting $400/week and earn $200, they'd subtract $50 (25% of $200) leaving you with $350 in unemployment. Always better to report and get reduced benefits than not report and face fraud charges.
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Freya Christensen
•This is exactly right. I learned this the hard way when I didn't report some cash work and got an overpayment notice months later.
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Omar Farouk
ugh the whole system is so confusing!! i've been doing doordash like 20 hrs a week and reporting it but my benefits keep changing every week and i never know what to expect. sometimes i think it would be easier to just not work at all but then i can't pay my bills 😤
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Isabella Costa
•I know it's frustrating but keep reporting everything. The weekly benefit calculator on the NYS Department of Labor website can help you estimate what you'll get before you certify.
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Chloe Davis
If you're having trouble reaching NYS Department of Labor to get clarification on your specific situation, I had success using a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get through to an actual person. They have a demo video at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Was super helpful when I needed to clarify my work reporting requirements and couldn't get through the regular phone lines.
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NeonNebula
•Thanks, I'll check that out. The regular phone number just hangs up on me after being on hold forever.
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AstroAlpha
Just want to add that you also need to make sure you're still meeting the job search requirements even while doing freelance work. NYS Department of Labor requires proof that you're actively looking for full-time employment. Keep track of your job applications and interviews in case they audit your claim.
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Dmitry Popov
I'm in a similar situation - working part-time retail while collecting benefits. One thing I learned is that you need to report your work hours AND earnings for each day you work, not just the weekly total. The NYS Department of Labor website has a specific section about partial benefits that breaks down the calculation pretty clearly. Also make sure you're marking yourself as available for work on the days you're not working your part-time gig. The system can be really picky about how you report things, so being detailed is key.
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ShadowHunter
•This is really helpful - I didn't know about reporting daily hours vs weekly totals! I've just been putting in my weekly earnings when I certify. Should I go back and correct my previous certifications or just make sure I do it right going forward? Also, when you say "marking yourself as available for work" - is that a separate question on the certification or part of the work reporting section?
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