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This is so unfair! How are we supposed to survive when they take most of our benefits for back support? The whole system is broken.
I understand the frustration, but child support obligations don't disappear when you're unemployed. The deductions are meant to ensure children continue receiving support even when the paying parent is between jobs.
If you're concerned about the deduction amount, you might want to contact your local child support enforcement office to discuss a payment plan modification. Sometimes they can work with you to adjust the amount being taken from your unemployment benefits, especially if you can demonstrate financial hardship. You can also request that they leave you with enough to cover basic living expenses - there are usually minimum amounts they have to leave you with. Document everything and keep records of all your communications with both the child support office and NYS Department of Labor.
This is really helpful advice! I didn't know you could request a modification or ask them to leave minimum amounts for living expenses. Do you know what the typical minimum they have to leave you with is? I'm worried about not being able to pay rent if they take too much from my unemployment benefits.
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Just want to add that attending career workshops or job training programs also count as work search activities. I went to a resume writing workshop at my local workforce center and it counted toward my weekly requirement.
I've been collecting unemployment for about 6 months now and wanted to share some additional tips for work search activities. Besides the standard job applications, you can also count networking events, informational interviews, and even reaching out to former colleagues about potential opportunities. I keep a spreadsheet with all my activities including company names, dates, contact info, and type of activity. The key is being consistent and genuine in your search efforts - don't just do the bare minimum of 3 activities if you're serious about finding work. Also, if you're in a specialized field, don't be afraid to reach out directly to hiring managers on LinkedIn - this counts as a work search activity too!
This is really helpful advice! I hadn't thought about networking events and informational interviews counting as work search activities. Do you know if there's a limit to how many of these "non-application" activities can count toward the weekly 3? Like, could I do 2 networking events and 1 job application, or do I need to have a certain number of actual job applications each week?
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I'm currently waiting for my appeal decision after a hearing two weeks ago for a similar constructive dismissal case. This thread has been incredibly helpful in understanding what to expect once I hopefully win. The consistent timeline everyone is sharing (10-15 business days for status change, then payments within a few days) gives me realistic expectations. One question - did anyone have issues with their employer trying to contest the appeal decision after losing? My former employer seemed pretty upset during the hearing and I'm worried they might try to drag this out further somehow. Also wondering if there's any notification when your status changes or if you just have to keep checking the website daily like Sofia mentioned?
@Anita George In my experience, once the hearing officer makes their decision, that s'pretty much final for the initial appeal level. Your employer can t'really contest it at that point - they would have to file their own higher-level appeal to the Board of Review, which is expensive and time-consuming for them. Most employers don t'bother unless it s'a really significant case. As for notifications, I didn t'get any email or text alerts when my status changed - I just had to keep checking the website daily. I set a phone reminder to check every morning around 9am once I hit the 10-day mark. The status change happened overnight on a Tuesday for me, so definitely check regularly. Good luck with your decision - sounds like you re'in a similar boat to all of us and should hopefully see a positive outcome soon!
I just won my constructive dismissal appeal last week and this thread has been so helpful! I'm on day 6 since the hearing decision and my status still shows "appeal decision pending implementation." Based on everyone's experiences here, it sounds like I should expect the status change sometime in the next week or so, then payments shortly after. I was initially denied for "voluntary quit" but had solid documentation showing my employer created impossible working conditions that forced me to leave. The hearing went well and I represented myself successfully. I'm owed 5 weeks of back pay and really need this money to catch up on bills. It's reassuring to see so many people with similar cases who eventually got their full back pay. The waiting is definitely stressful but knowing the typical 3-4 week total timeline helps manage expectations. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - it makes this process much less scary when you know what to expect!
@Chloe Taylor Congratulations on winning your appeal! You re'right on track with the timeline - day 6 is still well within the normal range. Based on everyone s'shared experiences here, you ll'likely see that status change sometime between days 10-15, so you ve'got a bit more waiting ahead but you re'definitely getting close. It sounds like you had strong documentation for your constructive dismissal case, which is exactly what these hearing officers need to see. The fact that you successfully represented yourself is really impressive too! Five weeks of back pay will definitely help you catch up on those bills. I d'recommend starting to check your online account daily once you hit day 10, just like others have suggested. The waiting is tough when you re'dealing with financial stress, but you ve'already cleared the biggest hurdle by winning the appeal. Your money should start flowing within the next couple weeks!
@Jayden Reed I just won my unemployment case today and I dont see a status anywhere. Where would I go?
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I'm currently in this situation too and this thread has been incredibly reassuring! I accepted a job offer yesterday that doesn't start for 3 weeks due to their new hire orientation schedule. I was really anxious about whether I should immediately stop my weekly claims or continue filing. Based on all the experiences shared here, it's clear that continuing to collect benefits while being completely honest about having a future job offer is the right approach. The consistent message from everyone who's actually been through this process is that NYS Department of Labor expects and handles these transition periods routinely. I'm going to follow the advice here - keep filing weekly, report the job offer honestly when prompted, and stop only when I actually start working and earning wages. Thanks to everyone for sharing their real-world experiences - it's made this whole situation so much less stressful!
I'm so glad this thread exists too! I was literally searching for this exact information yesterday when I got my job offer. The 3-week gap for new hire orientation is such a common thing, and it's really comforting to see that so many people have successfully handled this situation with NYS Department of Labor. What really stands out to me from everyone's experiences is how important the transparency aspect is - it seems like being upfront about your employment status in the weekly certifications is what keeps everything above board. I'm planning to take the same approach you mentioned. It's amazing how much peace of mind comes from hearing real stories instead of trying to interpret the official policy documents!
I'm currently dealing with this exact situation and wanted to add my experience. I accepted a job offer two weeks ago that starts next month due to their quarterly training program. After reading through everyone's experiences here, I decided to continue filing my weekly claims while being completely transparent about having a future job offer. So far it's been working smoothly - when the weekly certification asks about job offers or employment prospects, I simply report that I've accepted a position with a specific start date. NYS Department of Labor hasn't questioned this approach at all. What's been most helpful is seeing how many people have successfully navigated this same scenario. It really reinforces that this is a normal part of the employment process that the system is designed to handle, not some kind of gray area we need to worry about!
Your experience really mirrors what I'm going through right now! I just accepted an offer last week with a start date in early February due to their training schedule, and I was honestly pretty nervous about the whole benefits situation. Reading through everyone's stories here has been such a relief - it's clear that quarterly training programs and similar onboarding schedules create these gaps all the time, and NYS Department of Labor is completely used to handling them. The fact that you've been filing transparently for two weeks without any issues is really encouraging. I think what struck me most from this whole thread is how the system actually seems designed to work with these normal employment transitions rather than against them. Thanks for sharing your ongoing experience!
Kaiya Rivera
ugh the whole work search thing is such a hassle, like we're not already stressed enough about finding jobs. At least now I know what counts, been doing mostly online apps but will try some other activities too
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NebulaNomad
One thing that really helped me was keeping a simple spreadsheet with all my work search activities. I include columns for date, company name, position title, method of contact (online application, phone call, etc.), and any follow-up actions. NYS Department of Labor may ask for this documentation later, so having it organized from the start saves a lot of stress. Also, don't forget that informational interviews and reaching out to your professional network can count as valid work search activities too - they're not just looking for formal job applications.
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Mason Lopez
•That's a great tip about the spreadsheet! I'm just getting started with my unemployment claim and feeling overwhelmed by all the requirements. Do you have any suggestions for what to put in the "follow-up actions" column? Also, when you mention informational interviews - how do you typically reach out to people for those? I'm worried about coming across as pushy or desperate when networking.
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