NYS Department of Labor substitute teacher pay affecting my unemployment benefits - what is sub pay policy?
I've been collecting unemployment since last September when my full-time teaching position was eliminated due to budget cuts. I recently started doing some substitute teaching work and I'm really confused about how this affects my benefits. The district pays me through their regular payroll system but it's only when I actually work. Some weeks I get called in 2-3 days, other weeks nothing. My question is what is sub pay considered for unemployment purposes? Do I report each day I work separately or wait until I get the actual paycheck? The amounts vary wildly - sometimes $180 for a full day, sometimes just $90 for a half day. I've been reporting it when I work but my weekly benefit amount keeps changing and I'm worried I'm doing something wrong. Has anyone else dealt with substitute pay while on unemployment?
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Isabella Costa
You're doing it right by reporting when you work. Substitute teaching income needs to be reported during the week you perform the work, not when you receive payment. NYS Department of Labor considers any work performed as earnings for that specific week, regardless of when the paycheck arrives. Your benefit amount will fluctuate based on your weekly earnings - this is completely normal for substitute teachers on unemployment.
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Hiroshi Nakamura
•Thank you! That makes me feel better. Should I be concerned about the job search requirement if I'm actively substitute teaching?
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Malik Jenkins
omg this is exactly my situation!! ive been so stressed about reporting the sub pay correctly. some weeks i make too much and dont get any unemployment but then the next week i might not work at all. its so unpredictable
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Isabella Costa
•That's the nature of substitute work - your UI benefits will supplement the weeks when you don't earn enough to disqualify you completely. Just keep reporting accurately and you'll be fine.
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Freya Andersen
I had a nightmare trying to get through to NYS Department of Labor about this exact issue last year. Spent weeks calling and either getting busy signals or being disconnected after waiting on hold forever. Finally used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an actual agent within minutes. They have a demo video at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Totally worth it when you need to talk to someone about complex earnings reporting like substitute pay.
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Eduardo Silva
•Never heard of that service but honestly anything is better than trying to call the regular number. How much does it cost?
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Freya Andersen
•I don't remember the exact price but it was reasonable considering I got my question answered immediately instead of wasting days trying to get through.
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Leila Haddad
The substitute teacher thing is tricky because you're technically still considered available for work even when you're subbing. Just make sure you're marking yes for available and able to work on your weekly claims unless the sub job prevents you from accepting other work.
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Hiroshi Nakamura
•Good point - I always mark yes since substitute teaching doesn't interfere with looking for a permanent position.
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Emma Johnson
Wait I'm confused - are you reporting the gross amount you earn or after taxes? And what if you work a half day but get paid for planning time too?
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Isabella Costa
Report the gross amount before any deductions. If you're paid for planning time, that counts as part of your total earnings for that day. The key is reporting all compensation received for work performed during each weekly claim period.
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