Who qualifies for partial unemployment benefits through NYS Department of Labor?
I'm working part-time at a restaurant but my hours got cut from 35 to about 18 per week. My manager said I might be able to get partial unemployment to make up some of the lost income. Does anyone know who qualifies for partial unemployment benefits in NY? I'm still employed but making way less than before. Do I need to apply differently than regular unemployment or is it the same process through my.ny.gov?
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Ava Williams
You can definitely qualify for partial unemployment if your hours were reduced! In NY, you're eligible if you're working less than 4 days per week OR earning less than your weekly benefit amount. Since you went from 35 to 18 hours, you should qualify. The application process is the same - file through my.ny.gov and select that you're working part-time. Just make sure to report all your earnings when you file your weekly claims.
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Zainab Mahmoud
•That's really helpful! So I apply the same way as if I was totally unemployed? Do I still need to do the job search requirement if I'm already working part-time?
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Ava Williams
•Yes same application process. For job search requirements, it depends - if you're on standby with your current employer expecting to return to full hours, you might be exempt. Otherwise you'll need to search for additional work to meet the requirements.
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Raj Gupta
wait i thought you couldnt get unemployment if you were still working?? this is confusing
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Lena Müller
•Partial unemployment is different from regular UI. You can work part-time and still collect benefits as long as your earnings don't exceed your weekly benefit amount. It's designed for exactly situations like the OP's where hours got cut.
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TechNinja
I went through this exact same thing last year when my retail job cut everyone's hours. The NYS Department of Labor partial unemployment saved me! Just be super careful about reporting your exact earnings each week. They calculate your benefit based on what you earn that week, so if you work more one week you get less UI and vice versa. Also make sure your employer doesn't fight it - some employers try to challenge partial claims.
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Zainab Mahmoud
•Did you have any trouble getting approved? How long did it take to start receiving benefits?
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TechNinja
•Mine took about 3 weeks to get approved, which seems pretty normal. No major issues but I had to provide some extra documentation about my work schedule. The key is being completely honest about all your hours and wages.
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Keisha Thompson
I was in a similar boat trying to reach someone at NYS Department of Labor about my partial claim status. The phone lines are always busy and I kept getting disconnected. Finally used this service called claimyr.com that actually got me through to a real person at the unemployment office. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Ended up getting my adjudication issue resolved within a couple days after waiting weeks on my own.
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Paolo Bianchi
•Never heard of that before but honestly anything is better than sitting on hold for hours just to get hung up on
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Yara Assad
The whole system is ridiculous honestly. They make it so complicated to figure out if you qualify for anything. I had reduced hours for 3 months and never even knew partial unemployment was a thing until my coworker told me about it. Lost out on benefits I probably could have gotten. The NYS Department of Labor needs to do a better job explaining these programs!!
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Ava Williams
•I agree the information could be clearer. That's why forums like this are helpful - people share real experiences about what actually works vs what the official websites say.
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Javier Morales
Just wanted to add that when you file for partial unemployment, make sure you understand how the earnings deduction works. In NY, they use a formula where they subtract 25% of your weekly earnings from your benefit amount. So if your weekly benefit is $200 and you earn $100 that week, you'd get $175 in unemployment ($200 - 25% of $100). This is different from some other states that have a straight dollar-for-dollar reduction. Also, keep detailed records of all your hours and pay stubs - you'll need them for your weekly certifications and potentially for any audits later.
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Natasha Petrov
•This is super helpful info about the 25% formula! I had no idea it worked that way - I thought it would be dollar for dollar too. So basically the more I work, the less it impacts my benefits compared to other states? That actually makes it more worthwhile to pick up those extra shifts when available. Thanks for breaking down the math, it makes way more sense now!
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Mateusius Townsend
This thread has been so helpful! I'm in a similar situation where my hours at a retail store got cut from 32 to about 15 hours per week. Reading about the 25% earnings deduction formula really clarifies things - I was worried that working any hours would completely cancel out unemployment benefits. It sounds like it's definitely worth applying since I'm working less than 4 days now. One question though - if my schedule is inconsistent week to week (sometimes 12 hours, sometimes 20), do I just report whatever I actually earned that specific week when I file my weekly claim? And does anyone know if there's a minimum number of hours you need to have worked before the reduction to qualify for partial benefits?
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Malik Jackson
•Yes, you just report your actual earnings for each specific week when you file your weekly certification - the system is designed to handle variable schedules like yours. For eligibility, you generally need to have worked enough to establish a base period (usually the first 4 of the last 5 quarters), but there's no specific minimum hours requirement before the reduction. Since you went from 32 to 15 hours, you should definitely qualify. The key is that you're working less than your normal schedule due to lack of work, not by choice. Make sure to keep detailed records of your pay stubs since your hours vary so much week to week!
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