NY unemployment payment amount decreased and says 'offset' instead of direct deposit - what happened?

That 'offset' typically means the Department of Labor is withholding some of your benefits to pay back something you owe. Common reasons include: tax withholding changes, child support payments, overpayment from a previous claim, or other government debt. The $74 is exactly the amount being offset. You should get a notice explaining this in your online message center or by mail within a week, but the system often applies the offset before sending the notice.

Check if you have any outstanding balances with other government agencies. Sometimes these 'offsets' happen because of student loans, unpaid state taxes, or even old parking tickets that went to collections. Also, when did you last certify? Sometimes if you reported partial work earnings, they might adjust your benefit amount.

had same thing happen last month. turns out i had an overpayment from 2021 i didnt even know about and they just started taking it without telling me first. check ur message inbox on the portal, might be something there they sent recently

You should call and speak with a claims specialist ASAP. 'Offset' usually means they're recouping money, but they are required to notify you before implementing an offset. Without a notice explaining the reason, you have the right to dispute it or at least understand what's happening. Don't wait for the letter - sometimes those notices get lost or delayed.

I dealt with something similar in January. Called about 20 times before getting through. When I finally spoke to someone, turns out they had received income verification from an old employer that conflicted with what I had reported (even though I was correct). They started the offset without telling me first. After struggling with the phone system for days, I found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me through to an agent in about 30 minutes. They have a demo video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE. It was the only way I could get the issue resolved since the DOL rarely responds to messages through the portal.

UPDATE: Finally got through to someone today! Turns out I had a small overpayment from the beginning of my claim because my employer reported different dates than I did for my last week of work. The rep said they sent a notice on the 15th but it's not in my online inbox and I never got anything in the mail. She said the offset will continue for about 7 more weeks until the overpayment is recouped. So frustrating they don't notify you properly before taking money!

@profile6 Yes, they said it'll be the same $74 each week until it's paid off. The rep also mentioned I could've set up a repayment plan if I had known about it beforehand, which might have been easier on my budget. Too late now I guess. Just wish they'd make sure people actually RECEIVE notifications before they start deducting money!