Congratulations on getting it sorted out! This is such a perfect example of why the NY unemployment system is so confusing - there are these edge cases that aren't clearly explained on the website. Your situation shows exactly why sometimes you just HAVE to talk to an actual person instead of trying to figure it out online. Really glad that calling service worked for you and thanks for sharing the update. This thread will definitely help other people who find themselves in the same boat!

This is such a helpful thread! I'm in a similar situation where I'm approaching the end of my 26 weeks but still have about 6 months left in my benefit year. Reading through all the responses here, it sounds like the key thing is whether you worked during your benefit year and earned enough to qualify for a new claim. @872b58869e00 your breakdown of the three scenarios is super clear - way better than anything I've found on the official NYSDOL website. And @33c9af4fbe1c congrats on getting it resolved! It's encouraging to hear that the Claimyr service actually works since I've been dreading having to call and wait on hold for hours. One question for anyone who might know - if you do qualify for a new claim within your benefit year, does it reset your 26-week counter or do you still only get whatever weeks were remaining from your original benefit year?

I've been doing 1099 work while collecting unemployment for about 2 months now and wanted to add a few things that have helped me stay compliant. First, I set up automatic calendar reminders every Sunday evening to gather all my earnings info before doing my weekly certification on Monday morning - this prevents me from forgetting any small payments or tasks. Second, I created a simple phone note where I jot down any work I do immediately when I finish it, including the date, client, and estimated earnings. This way I'm not trying to remember everything at the end of the week. Also, something I learned the hard way - if you do any work on Sunday, make sure you know which week to report it in since the certification weeks run Sunday to Saturday. I made the mistake of reporting Sunday work in the wrong week initially. The 1099 work has definitely been a financial lifeline while job searching, and honestly the skills I'm maintaining through the freelance work have made me more marketable in interviews. Just stay organized with your tracking and always report honestly - the peace of mind is worth the extra effort!

I'm also in a similar situation and have been researching this extensively! One thing I want to add is that you should definitely keep track of your net earnings after business expenses too, even though you report gross income to NYS Department of Labor. For 1099 work, you can deduct legitimate business expenses like equipment, software subscriptions, or home office costs when you file taxes. This won't affect your unemployment reporting (you still report gross), but it helps with tax planning. Also, I'd recommend reaching out to the client before starting to clarify the payment schedule and invoicing process - some clients pay net-30 or even longer, which can affect your cash flow planning even though you report earnings when the work is performed, not when paid. The fact that your potential gig is only 15-20 hours per week sounds perfect for maintaining benefits while adding income. Just make sure you're still dedicating adequate time to your job search since that's the primary requirement for unemployment eligibility. Good luck with the opportunity!

I'm in the middle of this same cleanup right now and this thread has been a lifesaver! I've been holding onto unemployment paperwork from three different claims between 2018-2022 and had no idea what was actually important to keep. The 3-year rule for audit purposes really surprised me - I definitely didn't realize NYS could come back that long after a claim ended. I'm going to follow the systematic approach everyone's outlined here: 1099-G forms with tax records for 7 years, weekly certifications and job search logs for 3 years from claim end, and anything with overpayments kept indefinitely. The scanning suggestion is genius too - I'm going to digitize everything before filing so I have backups without the bulk. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences, especially the audit stories - better to know about that possibility now than find out the hard way later!

This thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm dealing with the same issue - found unemployment records going back to 2017 mixed in with other paperwork. I had no idea about the 3-year audit window or that NYS could request job search verification years later. That's honestly pretty nerve-wracking! Based on everyone's advice, I'm going to organize everything into the different retention categories: 1099-G forms with tax documents (7 years), weekly certifications and job logs (3 years from claim end), and keep any overpayment/appeal stuff indefinitely. The scanning approach sounds perfect too - I'll digitize everything before deciding what physical copies to keep. Really appreciate all the real-world experiences shared here, especially the audit stories. Better to be prepared than caught off guard later!

One thing to keep in mind is that while there's no age limit for collecting UI benefits, you still need to be "able and available" for work. This means if you have any health conditions that would prevent you from working, that could affect your eligibility - but that's true at any age. Also, since you mentioned you've been working since 16, you've definitely earned these benefits! Don't feel guilty about collecting what you've paid into. The warehouse experience you have is valuable, and many employers are looking for reliable workers with your kind of long-term work history. Keep documenting your job search efforts and you should be fine.

Just to echo what others have said - there's definitely no age limit on unemployment benefits in NY! I'm a retired HR manager and dealt with this question many times over the years. The only requirements are that you lost your job through no fault of your own, earned sufficient wages during your base period, and are actively looking for work. Your 50+ years of work history actually works in your favor - you've more than earned these benefits. Don't let anyone make you feel otherwise. The warehouse experience you have is really valuable right now with all the logistics and distribution growth. Keep your chin up and keep applying - the right opportunity will come along!

I just joined this community after finding this thread during my own frantic search for adjudication answers! I've been stuck for about 3 weeks now after being laid off from my marketing job due to company restructuring - yet another straightforward case that apparently needs "investigation." Reading through everyone's experiences here has been both incredibly helpful and absolutely infuriating. The fact that so many of us are dealing with identical situations (clear layoffs stuck in adjudication for weeks/months with zero communication) really highlights how broken NYS Department of Labor's system is. I've been taking screenshots and filing my weekly claims like everyone recommends, and I'm definitely going to try the 8 AM calling strategy tomorrow morning. The financial stress is already building and I can't imagine going through this for 8-10 weeks like some of you have endured. Thank you all for sharing your stories and advice - it's the only place I've found any real information about this nightmare process. At least we know we're not alone in dealing with this completely dysfunctional system!

I just found this community and this thread while desperately searching for answers about my own adjudication situation! I've been stuck for about 2 weeks now after being laid off from my job at a logistics company due to downsizing - another completely straightforward case that somehow requires "investigation." Reading through everyone's experiences here has been both incredibly comforting (knowing I'm not the only one) and absolutely maddening (seeing how widespread and broken this system is). The complete lack of communication from NYS Department of Labor is what's driving me crazy the most - how is it acceptable to leave people hanging for weeks or months with zero explanation about what's being reviewed or any timeline? I've been filing my weekly claims and started taking screenshots after reading all the great advice here. Definitely going to try the 8 AM calling strategy that several people have mentioned. The financial stress is already starting to build and I'm terrified of this dragging on for months like some of you have endured. Thank you everyone for sharing your stories and practical tips - this thread has been more helpful than anything I've gotten from the actual department! At least we're all in this nightmare together.