Another thing to consider - if your employer is making you work doubles without notice, that could potentially violate labor laws around scheduling. NY has some protections for retail workers regarding advance notice of schedules. You might want to look into whether they're breaking any "predictive scheduling" rules, as that could strengthen your good cause argument. Also, keep records of when you were told about schedule changes vs when you actually had to work - timestamps matter. Even text messages saying "hey can you come in today" when it wasn't your scheduled day can be useful evidence.

I went through a similar situation last year with a hostile manager and constant schedule changes. One thing that really helped my case was keeping a detailed journal - dates, times, what was said, who was present. I also started forwarding myself any work-related texts or emails to create a backup. The NYS DOL adjudicator told me later that having specific dates and examples made all the difference. Don't just document the big incidents - keep track of the small stuff too like being forced to stay late without notice or being spoken to inappropriately. It all adds up to show a pattern of unreasonable working conditions. Also, if you have any coworkers who witnessed these issues, get their contact info now in case you need witness statements later. Good luck!

I'm in a similar boat with my part-time teaching assistant position - some weeks I get called in for extra hours, other weeks barely anything. One thing I've learned is to always screenshot your online certification confirmation after you submit it each week. I had a situation where the system glitched and showed I hadn't certified for a week when I actually had, and having that screenshot saved me a lot of headache when I had to prove it later. Also, if you're ever unsure about whether you should claim for a particular week, err on the side of reporting it - it's much easier to explain why you claimed when you maybe shouldn't have than to try to get benefits reinstated for a week you didn't claim but were eligible for.

This is such helpful information! I'm dealing with a very similar situation working at a local bookstore where my hours are all over the place depending on events and seasonal rushes. Some weeks I'm barely getting 12 hours, other weeks they have me working 35+ during big sales. It's reassuring to know that the NY system is actually designed to handle these fluctuations and I don't need to worry about looking suspicious when I go back and forth between claiming and not claiming. I was always stressed about whether there would be some kind of flag on my account, but it sounds like this is exactly what partial unemployment benefits are for. Really appreciate everyone sharing their experiences!

I'm in almost the exact same situation right now - down to my last $400 and really stressed about what comes next. This thread has been a lifesaver! I worked part-time at a pharmacy for about 4 months during my benefit year (around 20 hours per week), so reading everyone's experiences gives me hope that I'll qualify for a new claim. The timing advice from @Dylan Campbell about filing early is really valuable - I was going to wait until my balance hit zero but now I'm definitely going to start the process this week. One thing I'm curious about that I haven't seen mentioned - if you're approved for a new claim, do you have to go through the whole initial waiting week thing again, or does the new claim start paying right away after your old one exhausts? The waiting week was such a financial strain when I first filed and I'm hoping I won't have to deal with that again.

I'm in a very similar position and this discussion has been incredibly eye-opening! I have about $620 left on my claim balance (roughly 2 weeks) and I've been absolutely terrified about what happens next. I worked part-time as a barista for about 6 months during my benefit year, usually around 16-20 hours per week, so after reading everyone's experiences I'm feeling more optimistic that I might qualify for a new claim. The advice about filing early instead of waiting until the last second is really valuable - I had no idea you could start the process before your balance hits zero. I'm definitely going to get started on the online application this week. One thing that's been stressing me out is that my part-time job paid significantly less per hour than my original full-time position, so I'm expecting my new weekly benefit amount to be much lower. But like @Maya Jackson said, getting something is definitely better than getting nothing! Has anyone had experience with how long the online application actually takes to complete? I want to set aside enough time to fill it out properly without rushing through it.

I'm going through this exact same nightmare right now! Missed my career appointment last week and went to make it up 3 days later. Been filing my weekly claims but no payments yet and I was starting to panic thinking I messed something up. Reading through everyone's experiences here is honestly such a huge relief - sounds like the 2-3 week timeline is pretty standard and I'm still early in the process. The advice about calling the career center directly instead of the main unemployment line is something I never would have thought of but makes total sense that they'd have better visibility into the appointment system. Really appreciate everyone sharing their specific timelines and strategies. Having a clear action plan (career center call, keep all documentation, use claimyr as backup) makes this whole waiting period way less stressful. Will definitely keep filing those weekly claims religiously and try the career center direct line approach first. Thanks for creating such a helpful thread - it's amazing how we're all dealing with the same bureaucratic mess but at least we can help each other navigate through it! 🙏

Just went through this exact same situation about 2 months ago! Missed my career appointment and made it up 6 days later. The hold took about 2.5 weeks to clear, but I got full backpay for everything once it was resolved. Here's what I learned that might help you: **Timeline expectations:** The 2-3 week range everyone's mentioning is spot on. Don't panic if it takes the full time - the system is just really slow to process these makeup appointments even when you do everything right. **Best strategy:** Call the career center directly (not the main unemployment line) around the 10-day mark. They can actually see your makeup appointment completion in real time and add notes to expedite the review. This was way more effective than calling the general number. **Keep detailed records:** Screenshot everything - your makeup appointment confirmation, weekly claim submissions, any emails. When you do get someone on the phone, having all this ready makes the process much smoother. **Backup plan:** If you can't get through after 2 weeks, that claimyr service people are mentioning actually works. I used it and got connected in about 40 minutes. Yeah it's $20 but worth it when your benefits are stuck. Most importantly - keep filing those weekly claims no matter what! The backpay will come through as a lump sum once they lift the hold. You're doing everything right, just gotta be patient with the bureaucracy now. Hang in there! 💪

One important thing to keep in mind - if you do qualify based on your previous W-2 employment and file a claim, you'll need to report any earnings from your DoorDash work when you file your weekly claims. Even though it's 1099 income, any work and earnings need to be reported to NYS Department of Labor. This could affect your weekly benefit amount depending on how much you earn.

I went through this exact same situation about a year ago when my DoorDash earnings dropped significantly. I had worked at a retail job for about 10 months before switching to full-time gig work. What really helped me was gathering all my W-2 documents and pay stubs from my previous employer before applying. NYS Department of Labor was able to establish my claim based on those wages, but the process took longer than I expected - about 3-4 weeks to get my first payment. Just make sure you're prepared to actively job search for traditional employment positions and keep detailed records of your applications. It's worth applying even if you're not 100% sure about your eligibility since they'll review your work history and let you know.