NY unemployment hours reporting changed from 5 to 10 hours? Confused about days worked calculation

Yes, NYSDOL updated their partial unemployment calculation in January 2025. The threshold changed from 0-5 hours counting as 0 days to 0-10 hours counting as 0 days. This actually benefits claimants since you can work more hours before it affects your weekly benefit amount. With 8 hours worked, you should report 0 days according to the new system.

i think its been like that for a while now?? i worked like 9 hrs last week and put 0 days, got my full payment

This is one of the MANY changes NYSDOL made without properly informing claimants!! They updated their partial benefit calculation formula but didn't send any notifications - just quietly changed the website. I only found out when I called an agent about something completely different. It's RIDICULOUS how they expect us to keep track of these things!

The change to the partial unemployment calculation is actually a positive update. Previously, working 0-5 hours counted as 0 days, 6-10 hours as 1 day, etc. Now, working 0-10 hours counts as 0 days, 11-15 hours as 1 day, and so on. Here's the current breakdown: - 0-10 hours = 0 days - 11-15 hours = 1 day - 16-20 hours = 2 days - 21-25 hours = 3 days - 26-30 hours = 4 days - 31+ hours = 5 days (full time) This means you can work more hours before your benefits are reduced. For your situation with 8 hours worked, you would report 0 days worked and receive your full benefit amount.

Back in 2023 it was 4 hours = 0.5 days before they changed it to 5 hours = 0 days in 2024, now its 10 hours = 0 days in 2025. They keep changing it every year lol.

I had this exact same issue and was totally confused too. I finally got through to someone at NYSDOL after trying to call for three days straight. That new system they implemented in January is such a mess! I ended up using Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through to an agent quickly. They have this service that calls the unemployment office for you and connects you when they reach an agent. Saved me hours of frustration. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE Anyway, the agent confirmed that yes, 0-10 hours now counts as 0 days worked for unemployment calculations. It's actually better for us since we can work more hours before our benefits get reduced.

I think I got flagged for fraud because of this change. I reported 1 day for 7 hours of work (based on the old system) and now my payments are on hold pending review. So frustrating!!

Just to add some more information - this change is part of NYSDOL's effort to make partial unemployment benefits more accessible. The Technical Improvements to Partial UI Benefits (TIPUB) initiative that started in 2024 continues to evolve. The current system is an hour-based approach rather than the old day-based calculation, which is more accurate and generally more favorable for claimants working part-time. The official policy document is on the NYSDOL website if anyone wants to read the full details. Make sure you're looking at the 2025 version though, as they update it annually now.

just make sure u keep track of ur hours in case they audit u later

This is really helpful information everyone! I'm new to filing unemployment and was also confused about the hours reporting. I worked 12 hours this week across two shifts and wasn't sure if I should report 1 day or 2 days. Based on what Sofia explained, it sounds like 12 hours would be 1 day worked (11-15 hours = 1 day). Is that correct? I want to make sure I'm understanding this properly before I certify.

I'm also new to filing unemployment in NY and this thread has been incredibly helpful! I was wondering - does anyone know if there are any other recent changes to the unemployment system I should be aware of? I just started my claim this month and want to make sure I'm not missing anything important. The hours reporting change makes sense now, but are there other policy updates from 2024 or 2025 that might affect how I file my weekly certifications?

I'm also dealing with this same confusion! Started filing in February and nobody told me about any of these changes. I worked 9 hours last week and was stressed about whether to report 0 or 1 day. Reading through all these comments is such a relief - sounds like 9 hours = 0 days under the new system. It's crazy how they just change things without proper notification. I've been keeping detailed records of my hours just in case, which seems like a good idea based on what people are saying here. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences!