NYS Department of Labor how to reopen a claim for unemployment after work ended
My part-time job ended two weeks ago and I need to reopen my unemployment claim that I had closed back in August when I started working. I can't figure out how to do this on the my.ny.gov website - it just shows my old claim as 'closed' but doesn't give me an option to reopen it. Do I have to file a completely new application or is there a way to reactivate my previous claim? I'm worried about losing time while I try to figure this out.
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Val Rossi
You don't need to file a new application if your benefit year is still active. Log into your my.ny.gov account and look for a 'Request Reopening' option under your claim details. If your benefit year expired, then you'll need to file a new claim entirely. The benefit year is usually 52 weeks from when you first filed.
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Romeo Quest
•Thank you! I found the reopening option. Do I still need to do the work search requirements right away or do I have a grace period?
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Eve Freeman
same thing happened to me last month, the system is confusing as hell. took me like 3 tries to figure out where the reopen button was hiding
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Clarissa Flair
Once you reopen your claim, you'll need to start filing weekly claims immediately for any week you want benefits. The work search requirement is 3 job contacts per week and you need to keep a log. Make sure you're ready to certify that you're able, available, and actively seeking work when you file your first weekly claim.
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Caden Turner
•Wait I thought it was 2 job contacts per week? Or did they change it again? The NYS Department of Labor keeps switching these rules around and I can never keep track.
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Clarissa Flair
•It's been 3 job contacts per week since 2022. You need to log each contact with employer name, date, method of contact, and position applied for.
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McKenzie Shade
I had such a nightmare trying to get through to NYS Department of Labor when I needed to reopen my claim. Spent hours on hold just to get disconnected. Finally used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that actually got me connected to a real person at NYS Department of Labor in like 10 minutes. They have a video showing how it works too: https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI. Saved me so much frustration dealing with their phone system.
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Romeo Quest
•Is that legit? I'm always worried about giving my info to third party services when it comes to unemployment stuff.
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McKenzie Shade
•Yeah it's totally legit, they just help you get through the phone queue. You still talk directly to NYS Department of Labor agents, they don't handle any of your actual claim information.
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Harmony Love
The whole reopening process is such a pain. I reopened mine last year and it took like 2 weeks before I could even file my first weekly claim because of some technical glitch. Then they made me do a phone interview to verify I was still eligible even though nothing had changed from my original claim. The NYS Department of Labor system is just broken.
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Rudy Cenizo
good luck! hope it goes smoother for you than it did for me
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Dmitri Volkov
Just went through this same process last month! One tip that helped me - after you reopen your claim, make sure to take screenshots of your confirmation page and any reference numbers they give you. The system sometimes glitches and doesn't save the reopening properly, so having that documentation saved me when I had to call customer service. Also, if you don't see the weekly certification option appear right away, give it 24-48 hours before panicking - their system updates aren't always instant.
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Mateusius Townsend
•This is such helpful advice! I never would have thought to take screenshots but that makes total sense given how glitchy the NYS system can be. The 24-48 hour wait time is good to know too - I was already getting anxious that something went wrong when I reopened yesterday and couldn't immediately see the weekly certification. Thanks for sharing your experience!
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Kelsey Chin
Another thing to keep in mind - if you worked part-time while collecting benefits before, make sure you report ALL your earnings when you reopen, even if it seems like small amounts. I made the mistake of not reporting some freelance work I did thinking it wouldn't matter, and it caused a huge headache later with overpayment issues. The NYS Department of Labor is really strict about this stuff. Also, if you have any saved correspondence from your previous claim (emails, letters, etc.), keep those handy in case they ask for documentation during the reopening process.
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Jamal Edwards
•This is really important advice about reporting earnings! I had some small cash payments from odd jobs during my previous claim period that I wasn't sure about reporting. Better to be safe than sorry with overpayments - I've heard those can be a nightmare to deal with. Do you know if there's a minimum threshold for reporting earnings, or should literally everything be reported no matter how small?
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