How to submit work search for unemployment - NYS Department of Labor weekly certification help

You need to keep detailed records of ALL your job search activities, not just what you report on your weekly claim. NYS Department of Labor requires you to make at least 3 job contacts per week, but you should be doing more than that anyway. For each contact, you need to record: employer name, contact method (online application, in-person, phone), date, position applied for, and result. Keep this in a job search log - you can download the official form from the NYS Department of Labor website or use your own format. When you file your weekly certification, you only report 3 of your contacts, but if they audit you, they'll want to see records of everything.

Yes exactly what the previous person said. I learned this the hard way when I got selected for a work search review last year. They wanted to see 12 weeks worth of detailed job search records and I only had what I reported on my weekly claims. Had to scramble to reconstruct everything from my email and browser history. Now I use a spreadsheet with columns for date, company, position, how I applied, contact person if I have one, and follow-up notes. Make sure you're also including networking activities, job fairs, career workshops - those count too as long as you document them properly.

ugh this system is so confusing! why dont they just tell you this stuff upfront instead of making you figure it out?? ive been on unemployment for 2 months and just found out about keeping the extra records

If you're having trouble getting through to NYS Department of Labor to ask questions about work search requirements, I had good luck using this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com). They help you get connected to actual agents instead of sitting on hold forever. There's a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Really helped me when I needed clarification about what activities counted toward my work search requirement and whether I was documenting everything correctly.

Just want to add that online applications definitely count as valid job contacts. Some people think they need to be calling or visiting in person but that's not true anymore. As long as you're applying through legitimate job sites like Indeed, company websites, LinkedIn, etc. and you document the employer name, position, and date, you're good. I've been doing mostly online applications for my 3 weekly contacts and never had any issues.

Thanks everyone this is really helpful! I'm going to start keeping better records starting this week. Better late than never I guess.

One thing I wish I'd known earlier is that you should also keep copies or screenshots of your job applications when possible. I got audited last month and they wanted proof that I actually submitted applications to the employers I listed. Luckily I had email confirmations for most of them, but a few companies don't send those automatically. Now I take a screenshot of the "application submitted" page every time just to be safe. Also, if you apply through a recruiter or staffing agency, make sure to record the agency name AND the client company if you know it - that way you have more detailed records if they ask follow-up questions.

I'm going through the exact same thing right now! Just started collecting unemployment 3 weeks ago and I had no idea about keeping detailed records of everything. I've been doing way more than 3 job applications per week but only reporting 3 on my weekly certification. Reading all these responses is kind of scary - I really don't want to get audited and not have proper documentation. Does anyone know if there's a specific format the NYS Department of Labor prefers for the job search log, or is any organized record keeping okay as long as it has all the required information like employer name, date, position, and contact method?

This thread has been so helpful! I'm new to unemployment benefits and just realized I've been doing this all wrong. I've been applying to about 12 jobs per week but only keeping track of the 3 I report on my weekly certification. After reading everyone's advice, I'm definitely going to start maintaining detailed records of ALL my job search activities. Does anyone know if there's a grace period or anything if you get audited early in your claim? I'm worried because I've only been documenting the bare minimum for my first 4 weeks of benefits. Should I try to go back and reconstruct my job search records from my email and browser history like Zara mentioned, or just start fresh with better record keeping going forward?

Just wanted to jump in as someone who's been navigating this system for a while - all the advice here is spot on! I'd add that it's also helpful to set up a simple routine for documenting your job search activities. I do mine at the end of each day rather than trying to remember everything at the end of the week. Also, don't forget that informational interviews, networking events, and even updating your LinkedIn profile can count as valid job search activities as long as you document them properly. The key is showing you're making a genuine effort to find work. And definitely keep those email confirmations - I create a dedicated folder in my email just for job application receipts. It makes everything so much easier if you ever need to provide documentation!

As someone who just went through an unemployment audit last month, I cannot stress enough how important it is to keep detailed records of EVERYTHING. I thought I was being smart by only documenting what I reported on my weekly claims, but when they selected me for review, they wanted to see 16 weeks worth of comprehensive job search activities. I had to provide proof for every single contact I made - not just the 3 per week I reported, but all of them. They also asked for documentation of networking activities, career fair attendance, skills training, and even time spent researching companies and industries. The audit process was actually pretty straightforward once I had all my documentation organized, but it would have been a nightmare if I hadn't been keeping thorough records. My advice: treat every job search activity like it might need to be verified later, because it very well might be!