How to keep unemployment benefits active with NYS Department of Labor - requirements?
I just started receiving unemployment benefits last month and I'm terrified of losing them. My friend told me there are specific things I have to do to keep getting payments but I'm not sure what they all are. I know I have to file weekly claims but what else? Do I really have to apply for jobs every week? What happens if I miss a week or mess something up? I've been out of work for 2 months now and these benefits are literally keeping me afloat. Can someone explain all the requirements to keep unemployment benefits going?
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Omar Fawzi
The main requirements to keep your unemployment benefits are: 1) File your weekly claim every week by Sunday midnight, 2) Apply for at least 3 jobs per week and keep records, 3) Be available and able to work, 4) Report any work or income honestly. Missing even one weekly claim can cause delays or issues. Also make sure your contact info is updated in your my.ny.gov account.
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Freya Johansen
•Thank you! Do I need to keep proof of the job applications I submit? And what counts as a valid job application?
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Chloe Wilson
yeah you definitely need to keep records of job applications. I use a spreadsheet with company name, position, date applied, and how I applied (online, email, etc). NYS Department of Labor can audit your job search activities and if you can't prove you applied for jobs they'll make you pay back benefits.
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Diego Mendoza
•This is correct. Save confirmation emails, screenshots of online applications, or notes about in-person applications. The job search log in your unemployment account helps track this but keep your own backup records too.
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Anastasia Romanov
Ugh the job search requirement is such a pain. I've been applying to everything just to meet the quota but half these jobs don't even respond. Sometimes I wonder if it's better to just take any crappy job rather than deal with all this paperwork
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Freya Johansen
•I feel the same way but I really need these benefits right now. Are there any exceptions to the job search requirement?
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Omar Fawzi
•There are some exceptions like if you're in approved training programs or have a specific return-to-work date with your employer. But for most people the 3 job applications per week is mandatory.
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Diego Mendoza
One thing people don't realize is that you also need to report ANY income, even if it's just $20 from a side gig. I've seen people get overpayment notices because they didn't report small amounts of work. Always be honest on your weekly claims about work and earnings.
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StellarSurfer
•Wait, even like freelance work or gig work? I did some DoorDash last week and made $35, do I really need to report that?
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Diego Mendoza
•Yes, absolutely report that $35. Any work or income needs to be reported on your weekly claim. It might reduce your benefit amount for that week but not reporting it could cause bigger problems later.
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Sean Kelly
I was having such a hard time getting through to NYS Department of Labor when I had questions about my job search requirements. Spent hours on hold getting disconnected. Finally found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that actually got me connected to a real person at the unemployment office. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Saved me so much frustration trying to get answers about keeping my benefits active.
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Freya Johansen
•That sounds helpful, I've been trying to call for weeks with no luck. Did they charge you for connecting to unemployment?
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Sean Kelly
•Yeah there's a fee but it was worth it to actually talk to someone and get my questions answered instead of being stuck in phone tree hell.
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Zara Malik
Don't forget about the work availability requirement too. You need to be able and available for work each week. If you go on vacation or have any period where you can't work, you need to mark that on your weekly claim or you could be committing fraud.
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Natasha Petrov
Also want to add - make sure you understand the difference between "able to work" and "available for work". Able means you're physically and mentally capable of working, while available means you're not doing anything that would prevent you from accepting a job if offered (like being enrolled in full-time school during business hours). I learned this the hard way when I had to explain why I was taking a morning class. Keep documentation of everything and when in doubt, always err on the side of over-reporting rather than under-reporting!
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