How many jobs do you need to apply for unemployment benefits in NY?
I just started collecting unemployment and I'm confused about the job search requirements. The NYS Department of Labor website mentions I need to be actively looking for work but doesn't clearly state exactly how many job applications I need to submit each week. I've been applying to maybe 2-3 jobs per week but I'm worried that's not enough. Does anyone know the specific number? I don't want my benefits to get cut off because I'm not meeting the requirements.
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Natasha Petrova
You need to conduct at least 3 work search activities per week to maintain your unemployment benefits. This can include job applications, attending job fairs, networking events, or even creating profiles on job search websites. The NYS Department of Labor considers each of these a valid work search activity as long as you document them properly in your weekly claim.
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Oliver Fischer
•Thank you! So it's 3 activities total, not necessarily 3 job applications? That makes more sense. I've been tracking everything in a spreadsheet anyway.
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Javier Morales
yeah I think its 3 but honestly the system is so confusing. I've been doing like 5-6 applications a week just to be safe because I heard some people got their benefits stopped for not doing enough
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Emma Davis
•You're being smart about it. The NYS Department of Labor can request your work search log at any time, so keeping detailed records of more than the minimum is always a good strategy. Better to over-document than risk an issue.
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GalaxyGlider
I had my benefits suspended last month because apparently I wasn't meeting the work search requirements even though I thought I was doing everything right! It took forever to get through to someone at NYS Department of Labor to figure out what went wrong. Turns out I was counting things that didn't qualify as valid work search activities.
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Natasha Petrova
•If you're having trouble reaching NYS Department of Labor agents about work search requirements or any other claim issues, I recently discovered Claimyr (claimyr.com). They help you get through to agents when the phone lines are constantly busy. There's a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Really saved me time when I needed to clarify some adjudication issues.
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GalaxyGlider
•That actually sounds really helpful. I spent hours trying to call and either got busy signals or got disconnected after waiting on hold forever.
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Malik Robinson
Just my two cents but the whole job search requirement thing feels like they're just trying to make it harder to collect benefits. Like we're not already stressed enough about finding work!
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Isabella Silva
•I totally get the frustration but the requirements are there for a reason. At least the 3 activities per week is pretty reasonable compared to some other states.
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Ravi Choudhury
Make sure you're keeping track of everything properly too. I use a simple log with the date, company name, position, and how I applied (online, in person, etc.). The NYS Department of Labor website has a template you can download if you need help organizing your work search documentation.
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Lilah Brooks
From what I understand, it's 3 work search activities per week in NY. But here's what I learned the hard way - make sure you understand what actually counts! Things like just browsing job sites don't qualify, but actually submitting applications, attending virtual job fairs, or doing informational interviews do. I keep a detailed log with dates, company names, contact info, and exactly what I did. Also recommend checking the NYS DOL website regularly because they sometimes update the requirements or clarify what activities are acceptable.
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Ashley Simian
•This is really helpful advice! I've been worried I wasn't doing enough with just 2-3 applications per week, but now I understand it's about the variety of activities, not just the raw number of applications. I'm definitely going to download that template from the NYS DOL website that @Ravi Choudhury mentioned and start keeping better records. Better to be over-prepared than risk any issues with my benefits. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences!
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