Part-time job while on NY unemployment - how do I answer the 'return to work' question?

I went through this last year. You answer YES to the return to work question. Then they'll ask how many days you worked and how much you earned. Report honestly. If you make under a certain amount, you'll get partial benefits. Just don't ever lie or they'll come after you later for overpayment.

After dealing with their impossible phone system for weeks, I finally got through using a service called Claimyr.com. They called and waited on hold, then connected me to an agent when they picked up. Talking to a real person cleared up all my certification questions and got my benefits moving again. Best decision ever after wasting days trying to get through myself. https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE

I work part time and I answer YES to the return to work question every week. Then I report the days I worked (even partial days count as full days) and my earnings before taxes. If you work 4 or more days OR earn more than $504 in a week, you get no benefits for that week. Otherwise you get partial benefits.

I think the wording of that question is confusing AF. Like, I already "returned to work" weeks ago when I started my part-time gig. But I still have to answer YES every damn week. NY unemployment system is designed to trip people up I swear 😤

Rule of thumb - if you worked AT ALL during the week you're certifying for, answer YES to return to work. Then report your days (count ANY day you worked even 1 hour as a full day) and gross earnings. Keep detailed records of hours/days/pay in case they ask for proof later.

PSA: If you get a part-time job, SAVE YOUR MONEY!! I learned the hard way that NY unemployment system is always backlogged with reviewing part-time work. They'll keep paying you for weeks then suddenly decide to "review" your case and stop all payments for months while they do it. Happened to me twice now.

When you say YES to returning to work, make sure you CAREFULLY count the number of days. NY has the weirdest system - even if you work just 1 hour in a day, that counts as a FULL DAY for unemployment purposes. This trips up so many people!

Actually there's an important thing most people don't know. If you get a part-time job, you NEED to call and tell them, not just report it on your weekly certification. Otherwise they might flag your account for fraud review when they notice the change. The whole system is a gotcha game.

Here's what you need to know about part-time work while on unemployment in NY (from someone who's been dealing with this for 7 months): - Answer YES to "did you return to work" EVERY WEEK you do any work - Count days worked - even 1 hour in a day = 1 full day - Report GROSS wages (before taxes/deductions) - You can work up to 3 days AND earn up to $504 per week and still get partial benefits - If you work 4+ days OR earn over $504, you get zero benefits that week but your claim stays open - Keep DETAILED records of all work and pay - they may audit you later - If your case gets flagged for review, try claimyr.com to get through to an agent quickly - it's the only way I finally got my case resolved when they suddenly stopped my payments The system is designed to be confusing, but if you follow these rules you'll be OK. Most important is to never lie or underreport - the penalties are serious. Good luck with your part-time job! Hope you find something full-time soon.

Its so messed up that 1 hour of work = a full day in NY. In California u report actual hours. NY system is straight trash 🗑

whatever u do DON'T LIE about your hours or pay. my roommate did that thinking they wouldn't notice and now he owes $7k back + penalties and they're talking about possible fraud charges. not worth it!!

Has anyone noticed if you start working part-time they suddenly put your account under review? Happened to me and 2 friends. Almost like they're hoping you'll get frustrated and stop claiming. Took me 3 months to get it sorted.

Good luck finding someone to help if they mess up your claim. Been trying to get through for WEEKS since I started my part-time job. The phone system is a joke.

When you start working part time, your first payment might be delayed. This is normal (annoying but normal). They often put your claim on hold for "review" when your status changes. Keep certifying every week even if payments pause.

Just went through this exact situation! Answer YES to "return to work" - it doesn't close your claim, just triggers the questions about days worked and earnings. I was paranoid about it too but saying yes is correct. The key things: report GROSS pay (before taxes), count any day you work even 1 hour as a full day worked, and keep detailed records. You can work up to 3 days OR earn up to $504/week and still get partial benefits. If you go over either limit, you get zero that week but your claim stays active. The 22 hours/week should work perfectly for partial benefits as long as it's spread over 3 days or less. Good luck with the job!

I'm dealing with this exact situation right now! Started a part-time retail job 3 weeks ago while still looking for full-time work. The "return to work" question had me stressed too, but yes - you answer YES even though you're still job searching. Just make sure you report everything accurately. My schedule is weird - sometimes I work 2 days, sometimes 4 days depending on what they need. The weeks I work 4+ days I get zero benefits, but the weeks I work 2-3 days I still get partial payments. It's actually working out better than I expected income-wise. Just keep detailed records of every shift and your gross pay in case they audit you later. The system is confusing but once you get the hang of it, it's manageable. Hope the job works out for you!

I've been working part-time while on unemployment for about 4 months now and can confirm what others are saying - YES, you answer "yes" to the return to work question every single week, even though you're still looking for full-time work. It doesn't close your claim at all! The system then asks for your days worked and gross earnings. One tip I wish someone had told me earlier: if your part-time job has an irregular schedule like mine (sometimes 2 days, sometimes 3), keep a simple calendar or notes app tracking each day you work and exactly what you earned. NY unemployment can be really picky about the details if they ever review your case. Also, don't stress too much about the $504 weekly earnings limit - that's pretty generous for most part-time positions. Your 22 hours should definitely keep you under that threshold. The bigger thing to watch is the days - if they ever schedule you 4+ days in one week, you'll get zero benefits for that week (but your claim stays active). Good luck with the new position! Having some income coming in definitely helps while dealing with their painfully slow payment system.

I just went through this same exact situation a few months ago! You definitely answer YES to the return to work question - I was terrified it would close my claim but it doesn't at all. The system is actually designed for people working part-time while job searching. The most important things I learned: - Always report your GROSS earnings (before any deductions) - Any day you work even 1 hour counts as a full day worked - Keep a simple log of every shift and what you earned - I use my phone's notes app - 22 hours spread over 3 days or less should keep you eligible for partial benefits One thing that caught me off guard - my first payment after starting part-time work was delayed by about 2 weeks while they "reviewed" my case. Keep certifying every week even if payments pause temporarily. It all worked out and I got the back pay once they processed everything. Having that part-time income while waiting for their slow payments was a lifesaver. The partial benefits plus part-time wages actually ended up being more than just unemployment alone. Hope the position works out well for you!

I was in this exact same situation earlier this year and it's definitely nerve-wracking at first! You absolutely answer YES to "did you return to work" - that question is asking about ANY work you did that week, not whether you found a permanent full-time job. The key things that helped me navigate this: - Answer YES every single week you work, even if it's just one shift - Report your gross pay (before taxes) accurately - Count any day you worked as a full day, even if it was just 2 hours - Keep a simple record of your schedule and earnings - I used a basic notebook Your 22 hours should work perfectly for partial benefits as long as it's spread over 3 days or less. I was working about 20-25 hours at a retail job and still got decent partial payments. The combination actually helped bridge the gap while NY unemployment was being their usual slow selves with regular payments. Don't stress about "accidentally closing your claim" - the system is specifically set up to handle part-time work while job searching. That's literally what it's for! Just be honest and accurate with your reporting and you'll be fine. Good luck with the position and hope you find something full-time soon!

I went through this exact same situation last year! You definitely answer YES to "return to work" every week you do any work at all - it doesn't close your claim, it just triggers the follow-up questions about days worked and earnings. I was terrified at first too because the wording is so confusing. A few things that really helped me: - Keep track of every single shift in a simple notebook or phone app - Report your GROSS pay (before taxes/deductions) - Remember that even working 1 hour in a day counts as a "full day worked" for their system - With 22 hours spread over 3 days or less, you should still qualify for partial benefits The hardest part for me was when they temporarily put my payments on hold for "review" after I started reporting part-time work. Don't panic if this happens - just keep certifying every week and it should resolve within a few weeks. I actually ended up making more money combining the part-time wages with partial benefits than I was getting from unemployment alone. Good luck with the position! Having some income while dealing with their painfully slow system is definitely worth it.

I've been working part-time while on NY unemployment for about 6 months now and can confirm everything everyone else is saying - YES, answer "yes" to the return to work question every single week, even though you're still job searching. It just means "did you do any work this week" not "did you find a permanent full-time job." Here's my system that's worked really well: - Keep a simple calendar on your phone marking every day you work and how much you earned (gross) - Answer YES to return to work, then report days worked (any day with even 1 hour = full day) and gross earnings - Your 22 hours should easily keep you under the limits for partial benefits One heads up - when I first started reporting part-time work, my payments got held up for about 3 weeks for "review." Don't stress if this happens, just keep certifying weekly and it'll get resolved. I actually got all the back pay once it cleared. The partial benefits + part-time wages ended up being more than unemployment alone, which was a nice surprise while waiting for full-time opportunities. Just stay consistent with accurate reporting and you'll be totally fine!

I'm in a similar situation and this thread has been incredibly helpful! I've been hesitating to take a part-time position because I was so confused about how to handle the certification questions. Reading everyone's experiences makes it clear that answering YES to "return to work" is the right approach, even though the wording is misleading. The tip about keeping detailed records seems crucial - I'm definitely going to start a tracking system before I even begin working. It sounds like the combination of part-time wages plus partial benefits can actually work out better financially than just unemployment alone, which is encouraging. One question for those who've been through this - when you had your payments temporarily held for "review" after starting part-time work, were you able to get any updates on the status, or did you just have to wait it out? I want to be prepared in case that happens to me. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - this community is so helpful for navigating NY's confusing system!

I was in the exact same situation a few months ago and totally understand your anxiety about this! You absolutely answer YES to "did you return to work" - I know it sounds counterintuitive when you're still actively job searching, but that question is really asking "did you do ANY work this week" not "did you find your permanent career job." Here's what worked for me with a similar part-time schedule: - Answer YES every week you work, even if it's just one shift - Report your gross earnings (before any taxes or deductions) - Count any day you worked at all as a "full day" - so if you work 4 hours on Tuesday, that's 1 full day - Keep a simple log of when you work and what you earn - I just use my phone's notes app Your 22 hours spread across 3 days or less should keep you well under the limits for partial benefits. I actually ended up making more money combining part-time wages with partial unemployment than I was getting from just unemployment alone, which was a pleasant surprise! Fair warning - when I first started reporting part-time work, my payments got held for "review" for about 2-3 weeks. Don't panic if this happens, just keep certifying every week and it'll get sorted out. The back pay came through once they finished reviewing. Take the job! Having some guaranteed income while dealing with NY's painfully slow system is definitely worth it, and it won't hurt your claim at all.

I'm in almost the exact same situation right now! Just got offered a 20-hour/week position while still job hunting and have been stressing about the certification questions. Reading through all these responses has been so helpful - it's clear that answering YES to "return to work" is correct even though the wording makes it sound like you're ending your job search. The consensus seems to be: answer YES, report gross earnings, count any work day (even 1 hour) as a full day, and keep detailed records. The fact that so many people have made this work successfully is really reassuring. I was worried about accidentally messing up my claim, but it sounds like the system is actually designed for this exact situation. Quick question for those who've been through this - is there any benefit to calling them ahead of time to let them know you're starting part-time work, or is just reporting it on the weekly certification sufficient? I've seen conflicting advice on this thread and want to make sure I don't trigger any unnecessary reviews. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - this community is a lifesaver for navigating NY's confusing system!