Should I report paid training under 30 hours as 'returned to work' on NY unemployment certification?

You should definitely answer 'yes' that you returned to work. Any paid work counts as returning to work for NY unemployment certification purposes, even if it's part-time or just training. When you certify, you'll then report the hours you worked and the amount you earned before taxes. Your benefits will be reduced based on your part-time earnings, but you may still qualify for a partial payment. Just make sure to report the exact hours and earnings accurately each week.

yes you have to report it!! my friend didn't report her part time job and they made her pay back like $4000 later. not worth the risk!!

The correct approach is to answer 'yes' to returning to work, then accurately report your hours and earnings. NY unemployment has a specific formula for partial benefits: you can earn up to 25% of your weekly benefit rate without reduction, then benefits are reduced by $1 for each dollar earned above that threshold. So if your weekly benefit rate is $400, you could earn up to $100 without reduction, then any amount over $100 reduces your benefit dollar-for-dollar. Make sure to report gross wages (before taxes) for the days you actually worked, even if you haven't been paid yet. Report based on the week (Sunday-Saturday) when you performed the work, not when you get paid.

I've been in this exact situation last year and it's SO confusing!! I started training for a retail job at 20 hours/week and panicked about how to report it. I ended up calling the unemployment office but was on hold FOREVER and never got through. I just answered 'yes' to working and reported my hours, and my benefit was reduced but not eliminated completely. Just be super honest about everything - the system actually explains it pretty well once you select 'yes'.

i think you only have to report it if you make over a certain amount each week but im not sure what that amount is anymore

Just wanted to add - make sure you keep track of your hours EXACTLY each day. My cousin got in trouble because she was estimating her hours when reporting and they did an audit with her employer and the numbers didn't match up. Even though she was only off by like 2-3 hours total.

One other important thing to keep in mind: if your training schedule varies week to week, you'll need to report the specific hours and earnings for each week separately. And if your training ever goes over 30 hours in a week, you would likely not be eligible for any benefits that week, but could still claim in future weeks if your hours drop back down. The key is consistency and accuracy in reporting.

THE WHOLE SYSTEM IS DESIGNED TO CONFUSE US!!! They make these questions deliberately vague so people make mistakes and then they can charge them with fraud later. I had a similar situation in 2024 and ended up having to appeal because they said I didn't report properly. The appeal took 3 months and I had to go without benefits the whole time!

Thanks everyone for the helpful responses! I'm going to report 'yes' to returning to work and make sure I accurately record my hours and earnings each week. I'll keep careful track of my exact hours worked to avoid any issues. It's a relief to know I can still receive partial benefits while in training.