What happens if I certify for unemployment while working - confused about reporting requirements

You're doing the right thing by reporting your work hours and earnings! NYS Department of Labor allows you to work part-time while collecting unemployment, but they use a formula to calculate your benefits. Generally, if you earn less than your weekly benefit amount, you'll receive a reduced payment. The key is ALWAYS report your work - even if it's just a few hours. Not reporting work income is considered fraud and can result in overpayment notices, penalties, and disqualification from future benefits.

yeah i work part time too and still get some unemployment money. just make sure u put down the exact hours and gross pay before taxes when u do ur weekly claim. the system calculates it automatically

The NYS Department of Labor formula is pretty straightforward - they subtract a portion of your earnings from your weekly benefit amount. I think it's something like they subtract 25% of your earnings up to your benefit amount, then dollar-for-dollar after that. But definitely keep reporting everything because they cross-reference with employer wage reports. I learned this the hard way when I forgot to report a small gig and got an overpayment notice months later.

I had similar issues getting through to NYS Department of Labor to ask about this exact question. The phone lines are always busy and the website isn't super clear about the calculation. I ended up using a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get through to an actual agent who explained everything. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Made the whole process way less stressful than trying to call for weeks.

THE SYSTEM IS SO BROKEN! I reported my part-time work like I was supposed to and somehow STILL got hit with an overpayment notice claiming I didn't report properly. Now I'm fighting this ridiculous appeal process because apparently their computer system doesn't match up with what I actually submitted. Document EVERYTHING because NYS Department of Labor will try to screw you over even when you follow their rules perfectly!!!

I think as long as you're honest about the hours and pay when you certify each week, you should be fine. The main thing is just don't try to hide any work because they will find out eventually.

I've been in a similar situation and can confirm what others have said - you're absolutely doing the right thing by reporting your work hours and earnings! The NYS DOL actually expects people to work part-time while collecting benefits, it's totally normal. From my experience, they typically reduce your weekly benefit by about 25% of what you earn (up to your benefit amount), so you'll still get some unemployment money as long as you're not earning too much. The most important thing is to be accurate with your reporting - write down your hours and gross pay each week so you have records. I keep a little notebook with all my work details just in case. Don't stress too much about it, the system is designed to handle part-time work!