How do you fill out the weekly work search record for New York unemployment?
New York requires at least three work search activities for each week you claim unemployment benefits. Record them on the Department of Labor’s Work Search Record (form WS5), or online in JobZone. For each employer contact, write the date, the position, the employer, who you contacted, how, their contact information, and the result. For other activities, write the date and what you did. Keep the record for one year, and do not send it to the Department of Labor unless they ask for it.
What counts as a work search activity
The Department of Labor lists these, among others:
- Submitting job applications or resumes to employers who may have openings
- Interviewing with potential employers
- Using Career Center resources: advisor meetings, job market information, skills assessments, workshops, following up on job referrals
- Attending job search seminars, networking meetings, job fairs or skills workshops
- Registering for or taking job-related or pre-hire tests, including civil service exams
- Registering and checking in with private employment agencies, unions, school placement offices or professional organizations
- Using the phone, directories, the internet, social media or online job matching to look for jobs or ask for referrals or interviews
Source: the Department of Labor’s Work Search Requirements and Work Search Record (WS5) pages.
What goes in each column of the WS5
For each employer contact:
- Date of contact
- Position applied for
- Business or employer name
- Name and title of the person contacted (if known)
- Method of contact (in person, phone, fax, email, website and so on)
- Contact information for that method (address, phone number, email, website or fax number)
- Result of the contact, if known (interview, waiting for response, not hired)
For each other activity, such as a workshop or job fair: the date and the activity you performed.
An example week
| Contact 1 | 10/13/2026 · Warehouse Supervisor · Hudson Valley Logistics · hiring team (no name given) · website · the careers page link used · waiting for response |
|---|---|
| Contact 2 | 10/14/2026 · Operations Lead · Empire Foods Inc. · Jordan Lee, Recruiter · email · jordan.lee@example.com · interview |
| Other activity | 10/16/2026 · Attended a job fair at the local Career Center |
Before you file
- Show at least three activities for every week you claim, not three in total.
- The Department of Labor says it verifies the information with the contacts you list, and knowingly giving false information is fraud.
- Keep copies of a paper record for one year. Records kept online in JobZone are stored for you.
- Some people are exempt, for example a temporary layoff with a written return-to-work date within eight weeks, union members who must get work through the union, and approved training. Check the Work Search Requirements page for the full list.
Common questions
How many work search activities does New York require?
At least three work search activities for each week that you claim benefits. You are encouraged to do more.
Do I send my Work Search Record to the Department of Labor?
No. Keep it ready, and send it only if the Department of Labor asks for it.
How long do I keep my New York work search records?
Keep copies of your Work Search Records for one year. If you keep your record online in JobZone, it is stored for you.
Does a job fair or workshop count as an activity?
Yes. Attending job search seminars, networking meetings, job fairs or skills workshops are listed as work search activities. Record the date and the activity.
Keep this log without retyping it
JobCycle, Career Backstory’s free job application tracker, builds this record as you apply. Mark a posting Applied and it becomes a contact for that week, with the company’s details and the link you used. Pick your state and a week, and the report lays each contact out in the order your form asks for, with a Copy button on every value. It counts your contacts against the weekly minimum, warns you when the same employer appears twice for the same opening, and downloads as a CSV or prints as a PDF. Free, with no card and no time limit.
See the free trackerThis page explains New York’s work search rules as the New York State Department of Labor publishes them, checked on October 20, 2026. It is not legal advice, and the Department’s instructions for your claim come first. Career Backstory is not affiliated with the Department of Labor or any state agency.