Diego, I'm going through the exact same thing right now at my diner job! Hours dropped from 32 to about 14 per week due to slow business after the holidays. I was so worried about filing because I thought having ANY job would disqualify me, but partial unemployment has been a lifesaver. The whole process is honestly way less scary than I built it up in my head. You just file online, then report your weekly hours and earnings (including all tips) when you certify each week. The system does all the math for you - you don't have to figure out the complicated formulas everyone talks about. What's been super helpful for me is screenshotting my work schedule each week and keeping a running note on my phone of daily tips. Makes the weekly reporting so much easier when I have everything right there. Your restaurant situation is exactly what this program exists for - don't feel bad about using it! I've been getting partial benefits for about 6 weeks now and it's made the difference between making rent or not. Seriously, stop overthinking it like I did and just file. The worst thing that can happen is they say no, but based on what you've described, you'll definitely qualify.

Diego, I was in your exact situation about 8 months ago when my bartending hours got slashed from 40+ to barely 20 per week. The partial unemployment system in NY literally saved me from falling behind on rent! Here's what I wish someone had told me upfront: Yes, you can absolutely file even while working part-time - that's exactly what partial benefits are for. You'll report your weekly earnings (wages + tips) and NYS DOL automatically calculates your partial benefit. The sweet spot is you can earn up to your weekly benefit amount plus $50 before benefits start getting reduced significantly. What made the biggest difference for me was filing immediately instead of waiting to see if hours would pick back up. I lost almost a month of potential benefits by hesitating. The weekly certification process becomes super routine - I set a phone reminder for Sunday nights and it takes maybe 5 minutes once you get the hang of it. Keep detailed records of your schedule changes and any communication from your manager about the hour cuts - DOL might want to see that documentation. Your restaurant situation with reduced hours due to slow business is textbook eligibility for partial unemployment. Don't overthink this - the system exists specifically to help people like us bridge the gap when work hours get cut through no fault of our own!

I had this exact same issue a few months ago! What worked for me was calling the NYS Department of Labor claims line at (888) 209-8124 first thing in the morning - I'd recommend calling right at 8:00 AM sharp on a Tuesday or Wednesday like others mentioned. When you get through, explain that you're missing payment for your first week and ask them to review your claim history. The rep was able to see that my first week got stuck in processing and manually pushed it through. Also, make sure to have your confirmation number from when you first filed ready - they'll likely ask for it. It took about 2 weeks after the call for the payment to hit my account, but I did get the full amount including the $300 federal supplement that was active at the time. Don't give up - that money is rightfully yours!

I went through this exact same situation about 3 months ago! The trick is to call the NYS DOL at (888) 209-8124 right at 8:00 AM on a Tuesday or Wednesday - avoid Mondays at all costs. When I finally got through (took about 45 minutes of calling), the representative was able to see that my first week got stuck in their system during the initial processing. She explained that sometimes when claims need manual review or there's a slight delay in approval, that first week doesn't automatically get added to your payment queue even though you're eligible for it. The rep manually released the payment and I received it about 10 days later. Make sure you have your SSN, confirmation number from your initial application, and the exact dates of that first week ready. Also, be prepared to explain that you've been receiving regular payments but noticed the very first week you claimed is missing from your payment history. Don't let them tell you to just file online - this requires manual intervention from their end. Good luck!

Maya, you're absolutely making the right call by questioning this warehouse offer! I just went through unemployment myself earlier this year and had to navigate these same concerns about suitable work requirements. That $5/hour pay cut from $18 to $13 represents about a 28% reduction, which is way below the 80% threshold that NYS Department of Labor typically considers suitable in the early weeks of your claim. Combined with the fact that warehouse work has zero overlap with your retail management experience, this is a textbook case of unsuitable work. At 6 weeks into your claim, you're still well within the period where they expect you to be selective about offers that match your professional background and earning history. I kept detailed records when I declined similar mismatched offers and never had any issues with my benefits. Focus your search on retail supervisor or assistant manager roles where your management experience will actually be valued - you shouldn't have to take a huge step backwards just because it's the first offer that came along. Document this offer and your reasons for declining (major pay cut, no relevant warehouse experience, doesn't utilize your management skills) but don't stress about turning it down!

Maya, you're absolutely right to question this offer! As someone who just navigated this exact situation a few months ago, I can tell you with confidence that declining that warehouse job is completely justified under NYS Department of Labor guidelines. The $5/hour pay cut (from $18 to $13) represents a 28% reduction, which is well below the 80% threshold they typically use for suitable work in the early weeks of your claim. Plus, warehouse work has absolutely nothing to do with your retail management background - you'd be starting from scratch in a completely different field. At only 6 weeks into your claim, you're still in the prime period where NYS DOL expects you to hold out for work that actually matches your skills and salary history. I turned down three similar mismatched offers in my first two months and never heard a peep about it. My advice: document this offer and your reasons for declining (significant pay cut, no warehouse experience, doesn't utilize your management skills), then focus your search on retail supervisor or assistant manager positions where your experience will actually be valued. Don't let anyone make you feel guilty for being strategic about your career - that's exactly what the system is designed to allow during this early period!

UPDATE: Just wanted to let everyone know that my payment came through this morning! So it took exactly 3 business days from when I spoke with the DOL representative. Thank you all for your help and advice!

That's such a relief to hear your payment came through so quickly! Three business days is way better than the week+ that some others experienced. I'm in a similar situation right now - missed my appointment last Friday and just got through to someone yesterday. The rep I spoke with also said "it's been noted in the system" but didn't give me a confirmation number. Based on your timeline, I'm hoping to see my payment by early next week. Thanks for following up with the community - it really helps to know what to expect!

This thread is absolutely incredible - thank you all for sharing such detailed and helpful experiences! I'm in almost the exact same situation as many of you. My benefits stopped about 3 weeks ago after I started a part-time remote customer service job. I've been calling obsessively with zero success, just getting that automated "high call volume" disconnect every single time. Connor's insider knowledge about the system flagging accounts for wage discrepancies makes perfect sense - I bet that's exactly what happened since I went from reporting zero income to suddenly having part-time wages. The 8:07am timing with the 1-4-2 sequence sounds like pure gold based on all the success stories here, especially StarSailor's update about actually getting through and resolving everything. I'm definitely going to try this method tomorrow morning. I've already prepared all my documentation - pay stubs, work schedule, hours breakdown by week - after reading everyone's advice. It's such a relief to know this is actually solvable and that there's a proven method that works. One quick question for those who successfully got through - did the rep ask for any specific details about your employer (like company name, EIN, etc.) or did they mainly focus on the income amounts and hours you'd been reporting? I want to make sure I have everything ready so I don't waste the opportunity if I actually reach someone. This thread has been a lifesaver - thank you all for creating such a valuable resource!

This thread has been such a lifesaver! I'm dealing with the exact same nightmare - my benefits were suspended 2 weeks ago after I started working part-time at a coffee shop. I've called probably 60+ times and never gotten past that horrible "high call volume" automated message. It's beyond frustrating when you desperately need to speak to someone and the system seems designed to prevent it. Reading through everyone's experiences here, especially Connor's insider knowledge about the wage discrepancy flags, makes so much sense. I bet that's exactly what happened to me too since I went from zero reported income to suddenly having part-time wages. The 8:07am timing with the 1-4-2 sequence sounds incredibly promising - I love that multiple people have confirmed this actually works! I'm setting my alarm for 8:05am tomorrow to try this method. I've already gathered all my documentation based on everyone's advice: pay stubs, weekly work schedules, and my claim information. It gives me so much hope to see StarSailor's success story and know that this is actually solvable with the right approach. Thank you all for sharing such detailed and helpful information. This community support means everything when dealing with such a broken system. I'll definitely report back with results - fingers crossed the magic sequence works for me too!