One other tip - make sure your husband checks his email and mail for a while even after stopping his claim. Sometimes there are notifications or questions that come up later. The NY unemployment system occasionally does random audits, and if they contact him and he doesn't respond, it can cause issues.

Just went through this exact same situation last month! One thing I'd add - if your husband worked any part of a week during his benefit period, make sure he reports the GROSS earnings (before taxes) when he certifies, not the net amount. I made that mistake initially and had to call to correct it. Also, NY has a partial benefit formula, so if he only worked a few days that week, he might still be eligible for some reduced benefits for the days he didn't work. The system will calculate it automatically once he reports his earnings correctly.

I'd start with filing online and selecting "reopen an existing claim" first. If that doesn't work then try filing a new claim. The system might automatically direct you anyway depending on your situation.

I went through something similar last year! Since you worked after your benefits ended, you should be able to file a new claim. The key thing is whether you earned enough during your brief employment - NY requires you to have earned wages in at least one calendar quarter and meet the minimum earnings threshold. Even though 4 weeks might not seem like much, it could still count toward establishing a new benefit year. I'd recommend filing the new claim ASAP since you're already past the layoff date - don't let more time pass! The online system will walk you through it and determine if you qualify. Keep all your pay stubs from the recent job handy when you apply.

Good luck with your claim! I hope it goes smoother than mine did.

I just went through this process a few months ago! Like others mentioned, there's no waiting period - you can file immediately as long as you have qualifying wages. One tip that really helped me: make sure you have all your employment documentation ready before you start the application. NYS DOL will want pay stubs, W-2s, or other proof of your recent work. Also, if your part-time job was with a different employer than your previous claim, that actually works in your favor since it shows new qualifying wages. The online system can be glitchy, so I'd recommend applying early in the morning when there's less traffic on their website.

The NYS Department of Labor system is so confusing about these requirements! I've been working gig jobs for over a year and still wasn't sure if I qualified when my main contract ended. Turns out as long as you have W-2 or 1099 income during the base period quarters, you should be fine. Don't let the uncertainty stop you from applying.

I just went through this exact situation a few months ago! I was so worried about not having enough work history, but it turns out the NYS Department of Labor website has a really helpful eligibility calculator that can give you a quick idea if you qualify based on your earnings. You just need to gather your pay stubs or tax documents from the past 18 months. Also, even if your hours got cut, you might still be able to get partial unemployment benefits while working part-time, which could really help with your rent situation. The application process online is actually pretty straightforward once you have your employment info ready.

wait im confused about the quarters too... so if i filed in january 2025 what quarters would they use?? i worked at walmart from march 2024 to november 2024 and made like $18000 total

The whole quarterly system is so unnecessarily complicated! Why can't they just use your last year of earnings like a normal person would think? I spent hours trying to figure this out when I got laid off and the NYS Department of Labor website explains it terribly.