How to list DoorDash on NYS Department of Labor unemployment weekly claim - gig work reporting
I've been doing DoorDash deliveries while collecting unemployment and I'm confused about how to report this income on my weekly claims. Do I list DoorDash as my employer? I don't have a traditional W-2 since it's gig work and I get 1099s. Also not sure if I should report gross earnings or what I made after gas expenses. My weekly claims keep getting flagged and I'm worried I'm doing something wrong with the NYS Department of Labor system. Anyone else deal with reporting gig work income?
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Mikayla Davison
You need to report DoorDash as 'self-employment' income, not as an employer. On your weekly claim, there should be a section for reporting earnings from self-employment or freelance work. Report your gross earnings before expenses - don't deduct gas or car expenses when reporting to NYS Department of Labor. The key is being accurate because they can cross-reference with your 1099 forms.
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Max Reyes
•Thanks! So I put the total amount DoorDash paid me that week, not what I actually kept after expenses?
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Adrian Connor
yeah i had the same issue with uber eats, kept getting my claims held up. you report the gross amount doordash shows in your driver app for that week
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Aisha Jackson
Be very careful with gig work reporting. NYS Department of Labor treats this as self-employment income and it can affect your benefit calculation. If you're making too much per week, you might not qualify for any benefits that week. Also make sure you're still doing your required job search activities even while doing DoorDash - gig work doesn't count as your job search requirement.
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Max Reyes
•Wait, I still have to do job searches even though I'm working DoorDash? I thought that counted as work activity.
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Aisha Jackson
•Nope, gig work doesn't satisfy the job search requirement. You still need to apply for regular employment positions and log them in the NYS Department of Labor system.
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Ryder Everingham
This whole system is so confusing! I've been stressed about reporting my Instacart earnings correctly. Why can't they just make it simple for gig workers?
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Lilly Curtis
If you're having trouble getting through to NYS Department of Labor to clarify this, I used a service called Claimyr that helped me reach an actual agent. Check out claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. I was stuck in adjudication for weeks because of similar gig work reporting issues and couldn't get anyone on the phone. Claimyr got me connected and the agent walked me through exactly how to report my freelance income properly.
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Max Reyes
•How much does that cost? I'm already struggling financially which is why I'm doing DoorDash in the first place.
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Lilly Curtis
•It's worth checking out their site for details. For me it was worth it because I was losing benefits every week my claim was stuck.
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Leo Simmons
THE WHOLE UNEMPLOYMENT SYSTEM IS A JOKE! They make it impossible to report gig work correctly and then penalize you when you get it wrong. I've been going in circles with NYS Department of Labor for months over this exact issue.
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Lindsey Fry
Just wanted to say I'm in the same boat with Grubhub. It's reassuring to know others are dealing with this too. The weekly claim form really wasn't designed for gig workers.
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Zoe Papadakis
I went through this exact same situation last year with DoorDash and NYS Department of Labor. Here's what worked for me: Report it under "self-employment earnings" and use the gross amount before any deductions. Keep detailed records of your weekly earnings from the DoorDash app because they may ask for documentation later. Also, make sure you understand the earnings threshold - if you make over a certain amount in a week, you might lose that week's benefits entirely. The good news is once you get the reporting format right, it becomes routine. Don't give up!
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