What is MWA name for unemployment benefits in New York - need help with job search requirements
I'm trying to complete my weekly claim certification and there's a section asking about MWA activities but I have no idea what MWA stands for or what name I'm supposed to put there. I've been on unemployment for 2 weeks now and this is the first time I'm seeing this requirement. The NYS Department of Labor website isn't very clear about it. Can someone explain what MWA means and how I'm supposed to fill this out? I don't want to mess up my claim by putting the wrong information.
12 comments
Join the conversation
Abigail Patel
MWA stands for Mandatory Work Activity. It's part of the work search requirements that NYS Department of Labor requires for most unemployment claimants. You need to complete job search activities each week and report them when you file your weekly claim. The 'name' would be the specific activity you did - like the company name you applied to, the job fair you attended, or the training program you participated in.
0 coins
Rhett Bowman
•Oh that makes sense! So I just put the company names where I applied for jobs? Do I need to list all of them or just one per week?
0 coins
Daniel White
You typically need to complete 3 work search activities per week unless you're in a specific program or have other exemptions. Each activity should have a name - employer name for job applications, organization name for networking events, school name for training, etc. Keep detailed records because NYS Department of Labor can audit your work search log at any time.
0 coins
Nolan Carter
•This is so confusing, I've been just putting random company names. Are they actually checking these?
0 coins
Daniel White
•Yes they do check! I got audited last year and had to provide proof of all my job search activities. Keep screenshots of applications, emails, business cards from networking events, etc.
0 coins
Natalia Stone
ugh the whole MWA thing is such a pain. I can never get through to NYS Department of Labor to ask questions about it and the website is useless. I've been stuck on hold for hours trying to get clarification on what counts as a valid work search activity.
0 coins
Tasia Synder
•I had the same problem with getting through to them! I actually found this service called Claimyr at claimyr.com that helps you get connected to NYS Department of Labor agents. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. I used it last month when I had questions about my adjudication and got through in like 15 minutes instead of hours on hold.
0 coins
Selena Bautista
just put any job u applied to, they dont really check unless ur claim gets flagged for something else
0 coins
Abigail Patel
•That's terrible advice. NYS Department of Labor absolutely does audit work search requirements and if you can't provide documentation, you could face disqualification and have to pay back benefits. Always keep proper records.
0 coins
Mohamed Anderson
Thanks for asking this question! I was wondering the same thing but was too embarrassed to ask. The unemployment system has so many acronyms and requirements that aren't explained clearly anywhere.
0 coins
Lara Woods
I totally understand the confusion with MWA requirements! When I first started filing, I made the mistake of not keeping proper documentation and it came back to bite me during an audit. Here's what I've learned works best: create a simple spreadsheet with columns for date, activity type (job application, networking, training, etc.), company/organization name, contact info, and any reference numbers. For the MWA name field, use the specific employer name for applications, the event name for job fairs, or the course title for training programs. Also, don't forget that informational interviews and career counseling sessions count too - I wish someone had told me that earlier since those are sometimes easier to arrange than finding new job postings every week.
0 coins
Rachel Tao
•This is super helpful, thank you! I wish I had seen this advice when I first started filing. The spreadsheet idea is brilliant - I've been keeping messy notes and it's been stressing me out. Quick question: when you say "reference numbers" what do you mean exactly? Like confirmation numbers from online applications? Also, I had no idea that informational interviews counted as work search activities. That actually seems more manageable than constantly hunting for job postings. Do you know if there's a limit to how many of those you can count per week?
0 coins