Unemployment in NY/Out of the Country issue (collecting, receive, work)

[j-u-j-u]

Hello,

I was unaware of the out of the country issue and therefore I should have not tried to certify while abroad; but I unfortunately did...

So this is my situation :

After getting laid off in late March 2016, I was collecting unemployment.

In early July I flew to France ( my home country ) on a Thursday June 30th as I had some leads for some freelance jobs there; I can legally work both in the US and Europe.

I actually interviewed with 2 companies, and did a freelance job for one from mid August to October 2016; then started freelancing for the second one in November 2016 until now.

While abroad, I certified the 1st time - week ending July 3rd - over the w.e with my phone on cellular without issue.

The second week, ending July 10th, I tried to certify with my laptop over a bad wifi but it did not seem to go thru and had to refresh the page a couple of times.
As I was unsuccessful I then tried with my cell phone over cellular and it seems to go thru but then received the Out of Country questionary email right after.


I filled out the questionnaire and provided copies of my passport, flight tickets as well as contact of the companies I met and have been freelancing since.


Back in the US, I kept certified my benefits but I did some sporadic 1099 jobs in July & August that I correctly reported it on my weekly certifications which were actually great as i was not perceiving any benefits.


I finally got determination by mail end of May 2017; actually received 3 letters :

-a "notice of determination of ineligibility or disqualification" with a total balance I must pay equal to $0.00; and indicating a forfeit penalty for future benefits will be reduced by 8 days until 05/24/19 when it expires.

-2 "notice of days applied to forfeit penalty" for weeks 07/31/16 and 07/17/16 & 07/24/16 that they used to reduce the forfeit penalty

It has been a while since I filled the out of country questionnaire and have been freelancing since; so I forgot about it until those mails.

Is there anything I should do and appeal this? I definitely did not tried to commit fraud as they stated in the mail, and 8 days is not that much neither; and as I am freelancing I am not entitled to any unemployment benefits. Just wondering if it would be worth the hassle...

Thanks you very much for your recommendations!

[Chyvan]

Consider yourself lucky. Others have gotten 80-day penalties. I'd leave it alone for fear that instead of making it go away, they add to it, and make you sorry for wasting their time.

[j-u-j-u]

Thanks you for your advice; yes after browsing thru the forum for similar case, it does appears I am rather lucky; so I will follow your recommendation.