What is partial unemployment benefits in NYS - confused about eligibility
I've been hearing about something called partial unemployment but I'm really confused about what it actually means. My hours got reduced at my retail job from 35 hours to about 18 hours per week since January. My manager said I might qualify for some kind of partial benefits through NYS Department of Labor but I don't understand how that works. Do I still need to look for other work? Can I collect regular unemployment at the same time? I tried reading the website but it's all confusing government language. Has anyone actually gotten partial unemployment benefits before?
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Lucas Notre-Dame
Partial unemployment in NY means you're working reduced hours but still employed. If you're earning less than your weekly benefit amount, you can collect partial UI benefits. You report your gross earnings when you file your weekly claim and NYS Department of Labor calculates a reduced benefit. You still need to meet job search requirements unless you're on standby with your current employer.
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Layla Mendes
•So I would still file weekly claims like regular unemployment? Do I report the hours I actually worked or just my earnings?
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Aria Park
Yeah partial benefits are real but there's a catch - they deduct your earnings from your benefit amount. So if your weekly benefit is $300 and you earn $150 working, you'd only get $150 in benefits. Plus you still have to do the job search thing which is annoying when you already have a job.
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Noah Ali
•Actually that's not quite right about the deduction. There's usually a small earnings disregard so you don't lose dollar for dollar. But yes, the more you earn the less benefits you get.
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Chloe Boulanger
I was on partial unemployment for 3 months last year when my restaurant cut everyone's hours during the slow season. You definitely need to file an initial claim first if you haven't already. Then when you certify weekly, you report your gross pay for that week. The system automatically calculates your partial benefit. Just make sure you're honest about your earnings or you'll get an overpayment notice later.
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Layla Mendes
•Did you have to do the job search requirements even though you were still working? That seems weird to me.
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Chloe Boulanger
•Yes I had to look for work unless I was on standby status with my employer. Standby means they expect to bring you back to full hours within a certain timeframe.
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James Martinez
If you're having trouble getting through to NYS Department of Labor to ask about partial benefits, I used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me reach an actual agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. It was super helpful when I had questions about my reduced hours situation and couldn't get through on the phone myself.
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Aria Park
•How much does something like that cost? Seems like you shouldn't have to pay extra just to talk to someone at the unemployment office.
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James Martinez
•I thought the same thing but honestly the time I saved was worth it. Trying to call NYS Department of Labor during normal hours is basically impossible with their call volume.
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Olivia Harris
just file a claim and see what happens, worst they can do is say no
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Lucas Notre-Dame
•That's not great advice. You should understand the requirements first. Filing incorrectly can cause delays or issues with your claim.
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Alexander Zeus
The partial unemployment thing saved me when my hours got cut at the warehouse. Just remember you have to report EVERY dollar you earn, even tips if you get them. And if your employer puts you back to full time, you have to stop claiming immediately. Don't try to keep collecting if your hours go back up or you'll owe money back.
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Mia Alvarez
@Layla I was in a similar situation last year when my hours got cut from full-time to part-time. The key thing to understand is that partial unemployment isn't a separate program - it's just regular unemployment benefits calculated for people who are still working reduced hours. You file the same initial claim, but when you certify weekly you report your gross earnings and they reduce your benefit accordingly. The good news is there's usually a small amount you can earn before they start deducting dollar-for-dollar from your benefits. Definitely worth applying since you've had such a significant hour reduction. Just make sure to keep detailed records of your weekly earnings.
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Vera Visnjic
•@Mia That's really helpful to know it's not a separate program! I was wondering about that earnings disregard you mentioned - do you remember roughly how much you could earn before they started reducing benefits? Also, did you find the weekly certification process straightforward once you got the hang of it?
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