I was in a very similar situation as a real estate agent about 18 months ago - no sales for over 4 months and really struggling financially. Like everyone has mentioned, you won't qualify for regular unemployment as an independent contractor with 1099 income. What saved me was getting creative with related income opportunities. I started doing virtual assistant work for agents in other markets (social media management, lead follow-up, etc.) and also picked up some property photography gigs. The VA work was especially good because I could do it from home and it paid hourly. I found most of these opportunities through Facebook groups for real estate professionals and Upwork. It's not glamorous but it kept me afloat until my sales picked back up. Also definitely apply for SNAP if you qualify - there's no shame in using available assistance programs when you need them. The real estate market is cyclical and it will improve. In the meantime, maybe use this slower period to really focus on your lead generation systems and follow up with past contacts.

I'm a former NYS Department of Labor claims examiner, and I can confirm that real estate agents working as independent contractors (receiving 1099s) are not eligible for regular unemployment benefits. The unemployment insurance system is funded by employer contributions for W-2 employees only. However, I'd still recommend applying online through the NYS DOL website - sometimes people have mixed employment history that could create eligibility, and the system will automatically determine if you qualify based on your wage records. Also, make sure to check if you've had any recent W-2 employment that might still be within your base period. Even if you don't qualify for unemployment, document this period of reduced income for tax purposes - you may be able to claim business losses. And definitely look into local assistance programs and SNAP benefits while you're rebuilding your client base.

Ugh, I've been dealing with the same thing since yesterday! The site keeps timing out when I try to access my claim status. Really frustrating because I need to check if my payment went through. Has anyone noticed if the mobile app is working any better than the website? Sometimes that's been more reliable for me during these outages. Fingers crossed they get this sorted soon - missing certification deadlines because of their technical issues is such BS 😤

Just went through the same nightmare this morning! Was getting the "Safari can't connect to server" error for hours. Finally got in around 2pm by trying what Eva suggested - cleared all my cookies and cache, then used incognito mode. Still took like 5 attempts but eventually worked. The fact that we have to jump through all these hoops just to access our benefits is ridiculous. NY really needs to upgrade their servers because this happens almost every week now 😡

omg yes the phone system is terrible!! I've been hung up on like 10 times trying to ask if I can take a certification course while collecting benefits

For education/training, you generally need prior approval from NYS Department of Labor to maintain eligibility. Don't just start a program without checking first. And remember, even if you're doing everything right, always respond immediately to any correspondence from NYS Department of Labor - ignoring letters or requests for information is the fastest way to get your benefits stopped.

This thread has been incredibly informative! I'm also dealing with unemployment benefits for the first time and had the same misconception that unused benefits would just sit there waiting for me to use them later. Reading everyone's explanations about how the benefit year system works has really cleared things up. It's definitely a relief to know that if you become unemployed again within the same benefit year, you can still access your remaining balance - I had no idea about that detail. For anyone else who's new to this like me, it seems like the main points are: 1) benefits are calculated fresh for each new claim based on recent work history, 2) unused benefits expire when your benefit year ends (52 weeks from initial filing), but 3) you can return to the same claim if you become unemployed again within that same benefit year. Thanks to everyone who took the time to share their experiences - it's so much more helpful than trying to decode the official government websites!

As someone who's been through the unemployment system in NY a couple times, I can confirm what others have said - any unused balance disappears when your benefit year ends. It's frustrating but that's how it works. One thing I'd add is to make sure you keep good records of when your benefit year started so you know exactly when it expires. Also, if you do take that job offer (which you absolutely should!), make sure to properly close out your claim through the online portal to avoid any issues down the road. The key thing to remember is that unemployment is temporary income replacement, not a savings plan. Take the job and don't look back - steady employment is always better than living off unemployment benefits, even if it means leaving money on the table.

If you're having trouble getting through to NYS Department of Labor to discuss your case or need to speak with someone about the appeal process, I used claimyr.com recently when I needed to reach an agent quickly. They have a service that gets you connected to actual NYS Department of Labor representatives without waiting on hold forever. There's a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Really helpful when you're dealing with time-sensitive unemployment issues like employer appeals.

I'm also dealing with a similar situation right now. One thing I learned is that you should also check if your state has specific guidelines about what constitutes "misconduct" versus just poor performance. In NY, the misconduct has to be willful and work-related. Being consistently late might qualify if you have documented warnings and a clear attendance policy that the employee acknowledged. Make sure you can show that the employee knew the consequences of their actions and continued the behavior anyway. Also keep copies of everything you send to NYS Department of Labor for your records.