NY unemployment claim issue with seasonal work at summer camp - break in claim question

yes she should definitely select 'lack of work' since that's exactly what happened - the work season ended, so there's no more work available to her at that job. make sure she reports any job search activities too. And 'break in claim' usually just means there was a week or more where she didn't certify for benefits.

After trying to handle this on my own for weeks I finally found a service that helped me get someone from NY unemployment on the phone to fix my claim issues. I used claimyr.com and they got me connected to a live agent in about 30 minutes when I'd been trying for days before. The agent cleared up my break in claim issue right away. Best money I ever spent to get my benefits flowing again! Here's a link to a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE

Hi there, former DOL employee here. For seasonal employment that has a clear start and end date, 'lack of work' is 100% the correct answer. The system is designed to flag any changes in your certification pattern (like going from some hours to zero) as a potential issue that needs review. Keep in mind that your daughter should be able, ready, and available for work during all days she's claiming benefits - so if she's in school, make sure her availability for work wouldn't conflict with her class schedule, otherwise she could be deemed ineligible.

My son had the EXACT same problem last summer. We selected 'lack of work' and it was fine. BUT make sure she keeps certifying every week even if payments are delayed while they review the claim. If she misses weeks, getting retroactive payments is a nightmare.

I just dealt with this exact issue after my seasonal tourist job ended. Here's what worked for me: 1. Selected 'lack of work' as the reason 2. Continued certifying EVERY week without fail 3. Made sure to document my job search activities 4. When I got a message about a 'break in claim' I tried calling but couldn't get through 5. Finally used claimyr.com to get through to a real person 6. The agent reviewed my file and released all my pending payments in one call Don't get discouraged by the system - it's designed to be frustrating but if you're entitled to benefits, keep pushing! The key is getting an actual human on the phone who can override the automatic flags.

LACK OF WORK is what I select everytime my temporary jobs end. That's the standard answer for seasonal work ending. Its not her fault the job ended, so that's the right option.

One thing nobody mentioned yet: if your daughter has any reasonable expectation of returning to that same job next summer, she should indicate that when asked. The system treats 'seasonal with expected recall' different from just 'laid off with no return expectation'. But yes, lack of work is the right answer for the main question.

Good luck getting anyone on the phone to sort this out lmao 💯 I've been trying for WEEKS. Ny unemployment phone system is trash. Might as well send a carrier pigeon.

I worked seasonal at six flags and had this exact problem. The "break in claim" thing is just automated. Your daughter should absolutely select "lack of work" and continue certifying weekly. If benefits get held up (and they probably will bc the system is trash 🙄) you'll need to talk to a human to fix it. Good luck with that tho... took me 2 weeks of calling.

dont stress about the "break in claim" message - thats just the system doing its thing. use "lack of work" for sure. the key is to be consistent with your answers every week. seasonal work is totally normal for unemployment, the system just flags any change in certification pattern.

Does anyone know if accepting seasonal work affects your overall benefit amount or duration? My son is in the same boat but worried about taking summer jobs if it might reduce his total benefit eligibility during school year.

The entire ny unemployment system is designed to create these confusing situations so people give up and don't collect benefits they're entitled to. It's INFURIATING. Stand your ground, select 'lack of work', and if payments get held up, be persistent about calling.

Listen, after 4 months of dealing with ny unemployment bs and endless phone calls, I finally got through using claimyr.com and talked to an agent who fixed everything in 10 minutes. Would have saved myself so much stress if I'd known about it sooner. They call the unemployment office for you and then connect you when they get a human. Talking to an actual person is literally the ONLY way to fix these stupid system flags.

i had this same issue w seasonal work. heres what u need to know: - the break in claim msg is automated & happens to everyone who goes from some hours to zero - use "lack of work" as the reason - keep certifying EVERY week even if payments stop - youll probably have to call to get it fixed - document everything - expect a delay in payments while they review the system is annoying but it works eventually if ur persistent

As someone who processes UI claims (not in NY but similar system), I can confirm 'lack of work' is absolutely the correct response for seasonal employment ending. The break in claim notice is standard procedure when your certification pattern changes. It may trigger a review but that doesn't mean there's a problem with the claim itself.

lmao everyone in this thread is giving the exact same advice over and over. YES USE 'LACK OF WORK' THATS LITERALLY WHAT HAPPENED THE SEASON ENDED SO THERE'S NO MORE WORK 🤦‍♀️

Make sure your daughter keeps detailed records of: - Exact last day worked - Hours worked in final weeks - All job search activities - Copies of any messages from the portal - Names of any agents she speaks with The ny unemployment system is notorious for making errors and losing information. Having your own records can save you when appealing decisions or proving you did everything right.

Side note but seasonal work can sometimes mess with how the system calculates your base period. If your daughter has other jobs besides just the summer camp work, make sure the system is counting ALL her employment history when determining benefit amount.

My two cents as someone who's been through the seasonal work unemployment cycle like 5 times now: the key is consistency in your answers. Pick 'lack of work' and stick with it. The system flags inconsistencies more than anything else. Also, expect at least one payment to be delayed while they review - it's annoying but normal.