NY unemployment system says 'break in claim' when reporting 10 hours part-time work - how to fix?

The partial unemployment system was updated last month and there are definitely some bugs. When reporting part-time work, you now need to count ANY day you worked even one hour as a full 'day worked' - so 10 hours spread across 3 days would count as 3 days worked, not 0. The 'break in claim' message usually appears when the system thinks you've gone more than a week without certifying or when your reporting doesn't match their expectations. Try logging back in and reporting the actual number of DAYS you worked those 10 hours, not just the hours. That should resolve the error.

had the same probelm last week!! the new system is soooo confusing. i worked 12 hrs and it gave me same error. turns out u gotta count the DAYS not hours now. its stupid.

NYSDOL changed the partial unemployment system in January 2025. Now you must report EACH DAY you worked as a full day, regardless of hours. Even 1 hour = 1 day worked. If you worked 10 hours across multiple days, you need to report each of those days. The old hours-based calculation is gone. The "break in claim" error happens when there's inconsistency with what they expect. Here's how to fix it: 1. Log back in 2. Select "File a new claim/Certify for benefits" 3. When asked how many days you worked, enter the ACTUAL NUMBER OF CALENDAR DAYS (not zero) 4. Complete the certification If you keep getting errors, you might need to speak with an agent to reset your claim status.

the break in claim thing happened to me too!! such a hassle. ended up having to call them and wait foreeeever. the system is broken IMO

lol everyone thinks the system is broken but u just gotta read the instructions they sent out. i work part time and had no issues once i actually read the email they sent explaining the new rules 🤷‍♂️

UPDATE: You guys were right! I went back and reported 2 days instead of 0, and it went through without any error. I even got the confirmation number. Thanks for helping me understand the new system - I wish they had made this change clearer when they updated everything.

My brother had this same issue with the break in claim thing. He said he just waited a few days and tried again and it magically worked. The system is jst glitchy sometimes.

This is such a helpful thread! I've been dealing with NY unemployment for a few months now and had no idea they changed the system. I've been reporting my part-time hours the old way (total hours worked) and wondering why my benefits seemed off. Reading through everyone's explanations about counting DAYS instead of HOURS is a game-changer. Going to go back and check my recent certifications to make sure I'm doing this right. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - this community is so much more helpful than trying to navigate the NYSDOL website alone!

Just want to add that if anyone is still having issues with the "break in claim" error even after reporting days correctly, there's another potential cause - sometimes the system flags your account if you've had any gaps in your work history or if your employer reported your hours differently than expected. I had this happen when my employer reported my hours to the state incorrectly (they put 20 hours when I actually worked 15 across 3 days). The fix was calling the automated phone line (888-209-8124) and speaking to an agent to have them manually review my claim. They were able to see the discrepancy and correct it within about 10 minutes. Sometimes these system errors need human intervention to resolve, especially with all the recent changes to how partial unemployment is calculated. Hope this helps anyone who's tried the day-counting fix and is still getting errors!

As someone who just went through this exact same issue last month, I can confirm that the day-based reporting is the key! I was so confused when I first encountered the "break in claim" error because I'd been successfully claiming partial benefits for weeks using the old system. One thing I'd add to all the great advice here is to double-check your employer information in the system too. When I switched to reporting days instead of hours, I initially still got the error because my employer's name had somehow gotten corrupted in the system (showed up as partial characters). I had to update that info through the "Update Employer Information" section before my certification would go through properly. Also, for anyone still struggling - the NYSDOL has a chat feature buried in their website that's sometimes faster than calling. It's under "Contact Us" -> "Live Chat" but only available during business hours. The agents there can usually reset your claim status if you're still getting system errors even after reporting correctly. Hope this saves someone else the frustration I went through!

Just wanted to chime in as someone who's been navigating NY unemployment for the past 6 months - this thread is incredibly helpful! I actually had a similar "break in claim" issue a few weeks ago but mine was caused by something slightly different. In my case, I was working irregular part-time hours (sometimes 2 days one week, 4 days the next) and the system kept flagging my certifications because it thought I was working full-time some weeks. What I learned is that if you work 4+ days in a week, you get zero benefits for that week, but you still need to certify to keep your claim active. I was skipping those weeks entirely thinking I didn't need to certify, which caused the "break in claim" error. The fix was going back and certifying for all those missed weeks, even the ones where I worked too much to get benefits. Now I certify every single week regardless of how many days I worked - it keeps the claim continuous and prevents these system errors. Just wanted to add this for anyone else who might be dealing with variable work schedules! The key is consistency in certifying, even when you know you won't get paid for that week.

having similar issue. i usually report 2 days (17-21 hrs worked) since i work part time 21 hours. But last week i only worked 10 hrs bc I fell ill. So i tried selecting 0 (0-10 hrs worked) and got the "break in claim" over and over. Then I tried to do the claim on the phone thinking it was an online issue and at the end of the prompt it submitted for processing, but it too then said I had a break and they were going to send forms for additional info! Now I cant file at all. Have to call DOL tomorrow as a result and you know what that means.. forever holding. Frustrated. Any thoughts on how to handle?