What does remuneration mean on NYS Department of Labor unemployment forms?
I'm filling out my weekly claim certification and there's a question about 'remuneration' that has me completely confused. What exactly does this mean in unemployment terms? I did some freelance work last week but I'm not sure if that counts as remuneration or just regular work earnings. The NYS Department of Labor website isn't super clear about this and I don't want to answer wrong and mess up my benefits. Has anyone else been confused by this terminology?
9 comments
Join the conversation
Statiia Aarssizan
Remuneration is basically any payment or compensation you receive for work, including wages, salary, tips, commissions, and yes - freelance payments. On your weekly certification, you need to report ALL remuneration earned during that week, regardless of when you actually get paid. So if you did freelance work, that payment counts as remuneration even if the client hasn't paid you yet.
0 coins
Ezra Beard
•Oh that makes sense! So I should report the freelance work even though I haven't been paid for it yet? That seems weird but I guess the NYS Department of Labor wants to know about all work performed.
0 coins
Reginald Blackwell
yeah i always wondered about this too, the wording is so confusing on those forms
0 coins
Aria Khan
The key thing to remember is that remuneration includes more than just your regular paycheck. It covers vacation pay, severance, holiday pay, jury duty pay, witness fees, and even some types of pension payments. NYS Department of Labor uses this broad term because they want to capture all forms of compensation that might affect your unemployment eligibility. When in doubt, report it - it's better to over-report than under-report and risk an overpayment later.
0 coins
Everett Tutum
•Wait, jury duty pay counts as remuneration?? I served on a jury last month and got $40 and didn't report it because I thought that was just civic duty stuff. Am I in trouble now?
0 coins
Aria Khan
•Technically yes, jury duty pay should be reported as remuneration. But $40 is probably under the earnings threshold anyway, so it likely wouldn't affect your benefits. Just make sure to report it going forward if you serve again.
0 coins
Sunny Wang
I had such a hard time getting through to NYS Department of Labor to ask about this exact question last year. Spent hours on hold trying to reach someone who could explain what counts as remuneration. Finally found this service called Claimyr that helps you get through to actual agents - they have a website at claimyr.com and there's even a demo video showing how it works (https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI). Made it so much easier to get my questions answered about reporting requirements.
0 coins
Hugh Intensity
•Never heard of that service but honestly anything that helps with getting through to NYS Department of Labor sounds helpful. Those phone lines are impossible.
0 coins
Effie Alexander
The remuneration question trips up SO many people! I work in HR and see this confusion all the time. Just remember - if you did any work or received any payment related to work during the week you're certifying for, report it. NYS Department of Labor would rather you report something that doesn't count than miss something that does. Better safe than sorry when it comes to unemployment fraud accusations.
0 coins