One thing that hasn't been mentioned yet is that earning too much money while collecting benefits can also disqualify you. In New York, if you work part-time while on unemployment, you need to report all earnings. If you earn more than your weekly benefit amount, you won't get any unemployment payment that week. And if you don't report earnings at all, that's considered fraud which can disqualify you permanently. Also, if you move out of state without notifying NYS Department of Labor, that can cause issues with your claim since you need to be available for work in New York.

Another important disqualifier that people often overlook is not maintaining your continuing education or licensing requirements if your profession requires them. For example, if you're a nurse, teacher, or other licensed professional and you let your license expire or don't complete required continuing education while collecting benefits, NYS Department of Labor can consider you "not able to work" and disqualify you. Also, if you're receiving disability benefits or workers' compensation, that typically makes you ineligible for unemployment since those programs indicate you can't work. Make sure you understand how any other benefits you're receiving might interact with your unemployment claim.

Don't forget you also have to do the job search requirements to keep getting benefits! NYS Department of Labor requires 3 job contacts per week and you have to log them in the system. I almost got my benefits suspended because I forgot to update my job search log for a few weeks.

Restaurant work is tough for unemployment calculations because of tips... I had the same issue when my place closed down during the pandemic. Make sure all your tip income was properly reported on your W-2s or it won't count toward your benefit calculation. NYS Department of Labor can only use what was officially reported to them.

also make sure you apply right away after you quit, don't wait around thinking about it. and when they ask why you quit be very specific about the good cause reasons

Wesley, I went through something very similar about 6 months ago. My manager was creating a hostile work environment and constantly changing my responsibilities without notice. Here's what worked for me: 1) Start documenting EVERYTHING right now - dates, times, what was said/done, any witnesses present. Screenshots of schedule changes, emails, etc. 2) If possible, try to address it in writing first (email to supervisor or HR) so you have a paper trail showing you attempted to resolve it. 3) When you file for unemployment, be very detailed about how the conditions made it impossible to continue working. NYS DOL approved my claim because I could show a pattern of unreasonable treatment that affected my ability to do my job. The documentation was key - without it, it would have just been my word against theirs.

Been there! The system is so unfair - employers can treat you like garbage but god forbid you try to protect your mental health by leaving. I spent 6 months fighting my denial before finally giving up. Hope you have better luck than I did.

I went through this exact situation about 8 months ago. The key thing I learned is that you need to document EVERYTHING before you quit - and I mean everything. Screenshots of abusive emails, dates and details of incidents, any witnesses who can back up your story. I also recommend filing a complaint with HR first (even if you know they won't help) because NYS Department of Labor wants to see you tried internal channels. When I applied, they initially denied me too, but I had kept detailed records and eventually won on appeal. The whole process took about 4 months, but I did get my benefits. Don't let anyone tell you it's impossible - just make sure you have solid documentation of the hostile work environment before you make your move.

I'm dealing with the exact same situation right now! My BYE date is coming up next month and I was getting so stressed about whether I'd miss out on my final week of benefits. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly helpful. It sounds like the key things are: 1) You CAN claim for the week ending on your BYE date, 2) You certify AFTER that week ends (so for Sofia, she'd certify on 9/7 for the week ending 9/5), and 3) Any leftover balance does disappear when your benefit year ends. I'm definitely going to take screenshots of my account before my BYE date and try to certify early that Sunday morning like Ava suggested. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - this community is so helpful for navigating the confusing NYSDOL system!

Just wanted to share my recent experience since I literally just went through this exact situation! My BYE date was 1/10/2025 and I was SO worried about missing that final week. I followed all the advice from threads like this - took screenshots beforehand, logged in early Sunday morning (1/12) to certify for the week ending 1/10, and everything went smoothly. Got my final payment deposited normally. One thing that helped ease my anxiety was calling the NYSDOL automated phone line a few days before my BYE date to confirm my remaining balance and weekly benefit amount. The automated system gave me all the info I needed without having to wait on hold for hours to speak to a human. Also want to echo what others said about preparing early if you think you'll need to file a new claim. I had worked some freelance gigs during my benefit year and was able to calculate that I'd earned enough to qualify for a new claim. Filed it on 1/13 (right after my BYE date) and I'm now in the waiting week for the new benefit year. The whole BYE date process is definitely stressful when you don't know what to expect, but reading experiences like everyone shared here really helped me feel prepared. Sofia, sounds like you've got all the info you need now - you'll be fine!