getting Unemployment but thinking about self employment (how much, employment)

[jonbenson]

I'm receiving unemployment already in the extension.

I've looked into their self employment program (SEAP) and I don't like it because I found some negative reviews on it, nothing positive.

Suppose I try out this self employment business project I have.

Suppose it starts to bring in some money.

So then I stop claiming unemployment.

I forgot to file for my weekly benefits one time. The next week when I did file I got an automatic message saying something like "you didn't file last week have you returned to work?"
I said no because I didn't do any work I just forgot to file. So then I kept filing after that no problems.

My main question is if I try out some business project and money starts coming in and I stop filing (even though I have several months left) and it goes on for a couple of months or more but then dries up and stops can I hop back in my unemployment claim?
- or are they going to want details as to why I stopped claiming for a long period of time?
If they did and I explained to them I had a self employment business project but then it dried up will they let my resume my unemployment clim, what's left of the claim I was on before? My fear is for some reason they won't let me back in. If that could happen I might not even try this project.

thanks

[yodel]

Originally Posted by jonbenson

I'm receiving unemployment already in the extension.

I've looked into their self employment program (SEAP) and I don't like it because I found some negative reviews on it, nothing positive.

Suppose I try out this self employment business project I have.

Suppose it starts to bring in some money.

So then I stop claiming unemployment.

I forgot to file for my weekly benefits one time. The next week when I did file I got an automatic message saying something like "you didn't file last week have you returned to work?"
I said no because I didn't do any work I just forgot to file. So then I kept filing after that no problems.

My main question is if I try out some business project and money starts coming in and I stop filing (even though I have several months left) and it goes on for a couple of months or more but then dries up and stops can I hop back in my unemployment claim?
- or are they going to want details as to why I stopped claiming for a long period of time?
If they did and I explained to them I had a self employment business project but then it dried up will they let my resume my unemployment clim, what's left of the claim I was on before? My fear is for some reason they won't let me back in. If that could happen I might not even try this project.

thanks

I think that while you're in the program, you can bring in some money and still get unemployment benefits, I can't remember for sure & I'm sure there's a limit to how much money you can make though. From what I understand, if you've gone through the program, you're not eligible for unemployment extensions, even if you're not earning any money from your business. There is also a certain amount of mandatory education that you have to do (paid out of your pocket).

If I were you, I'd just work on your business idea on the side, without doing anything that would alert NYS.

Good luck with everything.

[Kefir King]

That phrase they use is "there has been a break in your unemployment" and you must explain why.
You returned to work, you were laid off again, blah blah.

I think you might be wise to lay the whole scheme out before them before embarking on it but these bureaucracies are SUCH a pain in the ass and atop the state laws you have the federal extension tedious additions. This could open a big can of worms.

But do not discount the wisdom of yodel's suggestion...just try to get something off the ground and keep mum about it. If it works, go off unemployment, otherwise stay on.


They do have a scheme whereby they will pay you while you try to start a business...but I don't know the ins and outs.

[luvnyc]

Unless rules have changed since the early 90's yes you can be self employed then continue to collect off the current claim. You could even collect off the self employment once your previous claim runs out.

I did this, I was self employed after getting laid off. I collected on my last employer claim while I started up my self employment. I never got any flack from unemployment about what I was doing. So anytime I didn't have a client I turned in a claim.