The whole system is a mess. They make it sound like everyone who filed during covid was committing fraud but most of us were just trying to survive. Now they're going after legitimate claimants while the real fraudsters probably got away with millions.

I went through this exact same review process about 6 months ago and it was nerve-wracking but ultimately fine. The key thing is to respond quickly and provide everything they ask for. Don't wait until the last minute on that 10-day deadline. I organized all my documents in a folder - pay stubs, tax forms, bank statements showing my employment ended when I claimed it did. The review took about a month total but they sent me a letter saying everything was cleared. The fraud investigation is really targeting people who filed under fake identities or were working while claiming benefits, not legitimate claimants like you who just need to verify their paperwork.

just make sure u get a confirmation after u press 4. sometimes the system hangs up for no reason lol

Just wanted to add that you can also check your withholding status online through the NY DOL website if you're not sure what you selected. I logged into my account last week and could see under "Payment Information" whether I had tax withholding set up or not. It's a good way to double-check without having to call that awful phone system again. The online portal shows your payment history and tax withholding amounts too, which is helpful for keeping track.

Hey OP, any updates? Did you get your payment yet?

I went through this exact same thing earlier this year! Got the "Claim Can now be Paid" text and then... crickets for almost a month. It's so frustrating when you're counting on that money. What finally worked for me was calling super early in the morning (like 8:01 AM sharp) and just hitting redial over and over. Took about 45 minutes but I finally got through to someone who could see there was a small glitch in my account that was holding up payments. They fixed it right there on the call and I had my money within 3 business days. Also make sure you're doing your weekly certifications religiously - even if you haven't gotten paid yet, keep claiming those weeks or you'll lose them. The system will catch up and backpay you for all the weeks you certified for. Hope this helps and you see that payment soon! 🙏

To give you the specifics: for 2025, you can work part-time and still collect partial unemployment as long as your weekly earnings are less than your full benefit amount. NYS Department of Labor will reduce your weekly benefit by 25% of whatever you earn over $143. So if your full benefit would be $300 and you earn $200 in a week, you'd get $300 minus 25% of $57 ($200-$143), which equals about $286 in benefits.

Just wanted to add that when you apply, make sure to keep detailed records of your hour reduction. I screenshot my work schedules before and after the cut, and saved any texts or emails from my manager about the reduction. NYS Department of Labor may ask for documentation during the review process, and having everything organized made my claim go much smoother. Also, don't wait too long to apply - you want to get your claim in as soon as possible after the hour reduction happens. Good luck!

yeah the work search thing is annoying but not too bad once you get used to it. applying for jobs online counts, so does going to career fairs or updating your resume on indeed. just keep track of everything in case they audit you

I went through this exact same situation last year when my restaurant hours got slashed from 35 to 12 hours per week. At $18/hour you should qualify for a decent amount - probably somewhere in the $280-320 range based on your work history. The partial unemployment is definitely worth applying for since you're still working some hours. Just make sure to keep detailed records of your reduced schedule and earnings. The application process itself isn't too bad, mostly just proving your previous wages and explaining why your hours got cut. Good luck!