Will receiving a W9 affect my NYS Department of Labor unemployment benefits?

A W9 form is just for tax purposes and won't directly affect your current unemployment claim. The W9 is the company asking for your tax ID so they can send you a 1099 for tax season. Since this work was completed before you filed for unemployment, it shouldn't impact your weekly claim certifications. However, make sure when you filed your initial claim that you reported all income from the base period correctly. The NYS Department of Labor uses your earnings history to calculate your benefit amount.

nah you're fine, W9s are totally separate from unemployment stuff. I got like 3 of them last year while on UI and nothing happened

Just make sure you keep good records of when that work was actually performed. If the NYS Department of Labor ever questions the timing, you'll want documentation showing it was pre-claim. Also, if you're planning to do any NEW freelance work while collecting benefits, that's when you need to report it on your weekly claims. The key thing is being accurate about when work was performed versus when you get paid or receive tax forms for it.

Wait I'm confused about this too. I thought ANY income while on unemployment had to be reported? Even if it's from old work? This whole system is so confusing and I'm terrified of messing something up and having to pay everything back.

I had a similar situation last year and actually called the NYS Department of Labor to ask about it. Took me forever to get through though - like 45 minutes on hold. But they confirmed that W9s for past work don't affect current claims. If you're having trouble reaching them by phone, I recently found out about this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helps you get through to unemployment agents faster. There's even a demo video (https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI) showing how it works. Might be worth checking out if you need to talk to someone at NYS Department of Labor about this or anything else.

The W9 itself won't affect your benefits but just be really careful about timing. I know someone who got in trouble because they reported freelance income on the wrong week when they actually did the work versus when they got paid. The NYS Department of Labor is pretty strict about when work was actually performed.

Just want to add that you should definitely keep a copy of that W9 for your records along with any emails or documentation about when the work was actually completed. I've been through a few unemployment audits over the years and they really appreciate having clear documentation of work dates vs payment dates. The fact that you already included this income in your initial application when you filed in December shows you were being honest and thorough from the start. You're handling this exactly right - the W9 is just a formality for their tax reporting and won't impact your ongoing weekly certifications at all.

I had a similar situation earlier this year! Got a W9 from some graphic design work I did months before filing my claim. I was super paranoid about it too, but it really is just about their tax reporting requirements. The company needs to send you a 1099 at the end of the year and they need your info to do that. Since you already reported that freelance income when you filed your initial claim, you're completely covered. The NYS Department of Labor cares about when work was performed, not when you get paperwork about it. Just fill out the W9 and don't stress about it - your weekly certifications should continue as normal.

I went through something very similar a few months ago! Got a W9 for some consulting work I did way before I even applied for unemployment. I was freaking out thinking it would somehow flag my account or mess up my benefits. But like everyone else is saying, it's really just a tax form - the company needs it to report what they paid you to the IRS. Since you already included that $800 in freelance income when you filed your initial claim, you're totally in the clear. The timing is what matters to NYS DOL - you did the work in 2024 before filing, so it's not considered "work while claiming benefits." Just fill out the W9, send it back, and keep doing your weekly certifications like normal. Your benefits won't be affected at all.