NY unemployment certification asking about self-employment on last job - will I still get benefits?

This happened to me too! Turns out there was an issue with how my employer reported my earnings. I tried calling for THREE DAYS with no luck, then found Claimyr (claimyr.com) which got me connected to an actual agent in about 30 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE. The agent explained that sometimes the system flags accounts when there's any discrepancy in the employer's reporting. They fixed it on the spot and my certification went through normally after that.

Answer truthfully - if you weren't self-employed, select "No" to that question. This happens when there's an issue with how your employer reported your wages to the Department of Labor. Answering incorrectly just to get past the screen will cause bigger problems later. Your benefits might be delayed while they review, but answering honestly is always the right approach.

the same thing happened to me last month. my employer had me listed as a 1099 contractor even tho I was a w2 employee. I answered NO and still got my benefits but it took like 2 extra weeks. so frustrating.

Is there anything in your work history that could be interpreted as self-employment? Did you ever do gig work, freelance on the side, or get paid in cash? The system is TERRIBLE at distinguishing between actual employment and side gigs. I got flagged for selling stuff on Etsy even though my actual claim was from my full-time job!!!

Based on your situation, here's what you should do: 1. Answer NO to the self-employment question since you were an employee at the restaurant. 2. In NY, any earnings discrepancy triggers an automatic review. This happens if your employer reported your wages differently than what you claimed. 3. Your benefits might be temporarily held while they review, but they'll be released retroactively once verified. 4. If you need immediate assistance, call the claims center at 1-888-209-8124. Their least busy times are typically early morning (7:30-8:30 AM) or late afternoon (4:00-5:30 PM). 5. If the question persists next week, you should request a determination interview to resolve the issue permanently.

yea just answer no and move on, u will get ur benefits eventually. took me 3 weeks to get paid when this happened but they paid all the back weeks too

this is why the unemployment system is so messed up, they ask confusing questions then make you wait forever to fix their mistakes. i had something similar happen but with a different question and ended up having to wait 5 weeks for benefits. the system is designed to be confusing on purpose i swear

To update my previous answer about the DoorDash work you mentioned - that could absolutely be the source of the confusion. Even though it was back in 2023, the system may have flagged your account because of prior gig work. In this case: 1. You should still answer NO to being self-employed at your last job (the restaurant). 2. But be prepared to explain your DoorDash history if you get a call from an examiner. 3. Having your 2023 tax documents ready would be helpful in case they need verification. 4. The system is designed to catch unreported prior self-employment, which is why it's flagging your account.

Update on my situation: After talking with the agent, they explained that even old gig work can trigger these questions. They reviewed my account while I was on the phone and removed the flag! Got my payment the next day. Don't give up - definitely worth getting through to an actual person who can fix it immediately.

anyone know if they backpay the weeks that were delayed? i'm in the same situation now and worried about rent

I went through this exact same thing a few months ago! The key is to stay consistent with your answers and don't panic. I was also asked about self-employment even though I worked for a regular company. What helped me was keeping detailed records of everything - my W-2s, pay stubs, and even screenshots of the questions I was being asked. When I finally got through to someone, they were able to see that my employer had some coding issue in their system. The whole thing got resolved in one phone call, but it took me about 6 tries to actually reach a human. Keep trying the phone number Kaiya mentioned - the early morning slot really does work better. And yes, they will backpay everything once it's sorted out, so don't stress too much about the delay.