Good luck! These hearings are stressful but totally winnable if you have your documentation together.

I just went through this process a few months ago and won my case! Here's what really helped me: 1) Practice explaining your case out loud beforehand - you'll be nervous and it helps to have rehearsed your key points. 2) Have a simple outline written down with your main arguments and the order you want to present them. 3) When they ask about the "misconduct," focus on the specific policy they claim you violated and whether you actually received proper training or warning about it. 4) Most importantly for retaliation cases - be very clear about the exact dates. When did you file the safety complaint vs when did disciplinary actions start? That timeline gap is crucial evidence. The hearing officers are actually pretty fair in my experience, they just want to understand what really happened.

I went through this exact situation about 6 months ago! Got laid off in July, accepted an offer in August but couldn't start until September due to their onboarding timeline. NYS DOL was totally fine with it - I collected benefits for the full 5 weeks between accepting the offer and starting work. The case worker I eventually spoke with explained that you're considered unemployed until you receive your first paycheck, regardless of having a future start date. Just make sure to keep applying to other jobs during your weekly certifications (I did 3-4 applications per week) and be completely transparent about your situation. The anxiety about filing was way worse than the actual process. You've got a 7+ week gap which is plenty of time to justify benefits. Don't leave money on the table that you're entitled to!

I'm in almost the exact same situation! Just got laid off two weeks ago and accepted an offer yesterday, but they can't start me until March 1st due to their quarterly training program. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly reassuring. It sounds like the consensus is clear: be honest about the pending job offer when filing, maintain genuine availability for other immediate work opportunities, and keep up with the required job search activities until you actually start working. The fact that so many people have successfully navigated this with NYS DOL gives me confidence to file my claim this week. Thanks to everyone who shared their stories - this thread is a goldmine of real-world experience that you just can't find in the official documentation!

I'm just getting started with my own forfeit days situation (got the determination letter yesterday for 25 days!) and honestly was feeling pretty hopeless about it until I found this thread. Reading through everyone's experiences has been incredibly reassuring - it sounds like as long as I keep doing my weekly certifications religiously, I will eventually start getting payments again once the forfeit period ends. 25 days means I'm looking at about 5 weeks of $0 payments, which is going to be really tough financially, but at least now I know there's an actual end date to work toward. I'm definitely going to follow all the advice here: set up that countdown calendar, keep certifying every week no matter what, document everything with screenshots, and stay current on work search requirements. It's so frustrating that the NY unemployment system makes this process so confusing and provides basically zero clear guidance, but thankfully this community has all the real information we actually need. To everyone else currently dealing with forfeit days - it's really comforting to know we're all in this together and that there IS light at the end of the tunnel if we just stick with the process!

I'm currently on day 3 of my own 16 forfeit days and this thread has been absolutely life-saving! I was seriously panicking about whether to keep certifying every week when I'm literally getting nothing, but reading everyone's experiences here has given me so much confidence to push through. The countdown calendar idea that keeps coming up is genius - I just made one and seeing that I only have 13 days left makes this feel way more doable. It's honestly insane how the NY unemployment system gives you basically zero guidance about what to do during forfeit periods, but this community has provided all the real answers I desperately needed. I'm following everyone's advice to the letter: documenting everything with screenshots, keeping up with work search requirements, and most importantly remembering that this is temporary punishment, not permanent loss of benefits. To everyone else currently serving forfeit days - this thread proves we're definitely not alone in this mess and that there really is light at the end of the tunnel if we just stick with the process! Thanks to everyone for sharing their stories - it's making this so much more manageable knowing we're all supporting each other through this bureaucratic nightmare.

I want to add one more important point that hasn't been mentioned yet - make sure you understand the difference between gross and net earnings when reporting to NYS Department of Labor. You need to report your gross earnings (what you made before expenses), not what you actually took home after gas, wear and tear on your car, etc. So if you made $100 doing DoorDash deliveries but spent $20 on gas, you still report the full $100 on your weekly certification. The expenses can only be deducted later when you file your taxes, not when you're calculating your weekly UI benefit reduction. I made this mistake early on and had to call to clarify with an agent. It's a common misconception that trips people up!

Another thing to consider is keeping documentation of your job search activities separate from your gig work schedule. I recommend using a calendar or planner to block out specific times for job applications, interviews, and networking - this way if NYS Department of Labor ever questions your availability for full-time work, you can show that you're actively dedicating substantial time to finding permanent employment. I typically spend mornings on job search activities and save gig work for afternoons/evenings. Also, when you do land interviews, make sure you're available and not committed to gig work during those times. It shows you're prioritizing your job search over the temporary gig income, which is exactly what unemployment benefits are designed to support.

Just wanted to add that you can also check your benefit information by calling the Tele-Claim line at 888-581-5812. It's automated and available 24/7, so you don't have to deal with hold times. When you call, have your SSN ready and follow the prompts - it will tell you your remaining benefit balance, weeks left, and benefit year end date. I find this quicker than navigating the website sometimes, especially when the portal is being slow or glitchy.

Another thing to keep in mind - if you're worried about running out of benefits, start documenting everything now! Keep detailed records of your job search activities, any part-time work you do, and save all your weekly certification confirmations. If you end up needing to file a new claim after your benefit year expires, having organized records will make the process much smoother. Also, consider reaching out to your local American Job Center (formerly One-Stop) - they often have career counselors who can help with job search strategies and might know about local hiring events or training programs that could help you land something before your benefits run out.