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I totally get the confusion! I went through the same thing when I first saw "effective days remaining" on my claim. What helped me understand it better is that NYS uses a benefit year system - so your 104 effective days (26 weeks) run from your initial claim date to exactly one year later, not just continuously. The tricky part is that if you find work and then become unemployed again within that same benefit year, you'd still be using up those original effective days. So even if you worked for a few months in between, those days keep counting down from your original total. It's definitely not the most intuitive system!
This is really helpful Sofia! I had no idea that the effective days keep counting down even if you work in between periods of unemployment. That explains why some people might have different numbers than expected. So basically once you start your benefit year, that clock is always ticking regardless of whether you're actively collecting or not?
Just wanted to add for anyone reading this - you can also check your benefit year end date on the my.ny.gov portal under your claim summary. It's usually listed as "Benefit Year Ends" and shows the exact date one year from when you first filed. This helped me plan ahead when I was getting close to running out of effective days. Also, if you do need to file a new claim, make sure you have all your recent work history ready because they'll ask about any employment during your current benefit year, even if it was just temporary or part-time work.
Thanks for mentioning the benefit year end date! I just checked mine and it's super helpful to see the actual calendar date. One thing I'm still confused about though - if I file a new claim when my benefit year ends, do I get another full 26 weeks/104 days, or does it depend on how much I worked during the previous year? I've been doing some gig work here and there while collecting unemployment and wasn't sure if that affects my eligibility for a new claim.
I just went through this exact situation about a month ago and it was definitely stressful at first! The most important thing is to check your benefit year end date in your online account under the payment history section - this is completely separate from your effective days counter. Here's what I learned: If your benefit year has ended (or is about to end within a few days), you need to file a new claim immediately. If your benefit year is still active but you've run out of effective days, you might be eligible for an extension program - in that case, call NYSDOL to ask about current options. When I filed my new claim, the process took about 2.5 weeks but they backpaid me for every week I certified during that waiting period. The key is to KEEP CERTIFYING WEEKLY no matter what - this ensures you don't miss any payments. Pro tip: Have all your employment information from the past 18 months ready before you start the application - employer names, addresses, dates of employment, wages, and reason for separation. They ask for everything again even though they already have it from your previous claim. Don't panic - this is super common and once you know which path to take based on your benefit year end date, the process is straightforward. You've got this!
This is such a comprehensive breakdown - thank you! I'm new to this situation and honestly had no idea there was a difference between effective days and benefit year end dates. Your timeline of 2.5 weeks with backpay for all certified weeks is really reassuring. I'm going to check my benefit year end date tonight and start gathering all my employment records just in case. The tip about keeping up with weekly certifications no matter what is super helpful - that seems to be the one consistent piece of advice everyone is giving. Really appreciate you taking the time to share your experience and make this less overwhelming for those of us just figuring it out!
I'm dealing with this exact same situation right now! My effective days hit 0 last week and I've been so confused about what to do next. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly helpful - I had no idea there was such an important difference between effective days running out and your benefit year ending. I just checked my online account and my benefit year actually ends in about 10 days, so it sounds like I definitely need to file a new claim soon rather than wait for extensions. Based on all the advice here, I'm going to start gathering my employment records from the past 18 months this weekend and file the new claim early next week. One quick question for those who recently went through this - when you kept certifying weekly during the new claim processing, did you certify using your old claim interface or was there a different process? I want to make sure I don't accidentally mess something up during the transition period. Thanks to everyone who shared their timelines and experiences - knowing that you all got backpaid for the processing weeks makes this so much less stressful! This thread really should be required reading for anyone approaching the end of their effective days.
Hey Anastasia! I went through this same process about 2 months ago and you just keep certifying through your regular online account interface - nothing changes on your end during the transition. The system will still show your old claim while the new one is being processed, but as long as you keep doing your weekly certifications on schedule, they'll apply those weeks to your new claim once it gets approved. Just log in like normal and certify for your weekly benefits - don't overthink it! The important thing is not missing any weeks during the processing period. You're smart to file next week with 10 days left rather than cutting it super close. Having your employment records ready ahead of time will make the application process much smoother!
I actually had a very similar situation about 6 months ago when my company moved from Binghamton to White Plains. The distance was about 160 miles and would have meant a 3+ hour commute each way. I was terrified that HR was right about it being considered a "voluntary quit," but I filed for unemployment anyway. NYS Department of Labor approved my claim after about 3 weeks of review. The key was being very detailed in my application - I explained the exact mileage, calculated the daily commute time, estimated the additional gas and wear-and-tear costs (which would have been over $400/month), and mentioned that my spouse's job and our mortgage kept us rooted in Binghamton. I also included screenshots of the company's relocation announcement email. The adjudicator I spoke with was actually very understanding and said cases like this are more common than people think. Don't give up - your situation with Syracuse to Buffalo sounds even more clear-cut than mine was!
Thank you so much for sharing your experience! It's incredibly helpful to hear from someone who went through almost the exact same situation and was successful. Binghamton to White Plains at 160 miles sounds very similar to my Syracuse to Buffalo situation. I'm definitely going to follow your approach - documenting everything thoroughly including mileage, commute time, and the financial burden of gas and car maintenance. The idea of calculating the monthly costs ($400+) is brilliant because it really shows the unreasonable hardship this would create. I'm feeling much more confident about filing my claim now, especially knowing that adjudicators are understanding about these situations. Did you have to provide any additional documentation during the review process, or was the initial application with screenshots sufficient?
I went through a similar situation last year when my employer relocated from Utica to NYC - that's about a 250 mile move! I was initially panicked because HR told me the same thing about it being a "voluntary quit," but I filed for unemployment anyway and was approved. The NYS Department of Labor was very thorough in their review - they asked for documentation of the relocation notice, proof of the distance/commute time, and details about why relocating wasn't feasible for me (in my case, my partner's job and kids in school). The whole process took about 4 weeks, but they ultimately ruled it was "constructive dismissal" since the relocation created an undue hardship. Syracuse to Buffalo at 150+ miles is definitely well above the reasonable commuting distance threshold. My advice is to file as soon as possible after your last day of work, be extremely detailed in your application about why the move creates a hardship, and don't let HR's incorrect advice discourage you. They're not unemployment law experts and are often wrong about eligibility requirements.
Your Utica to NYC case is really encouraging to hear about! 250 miles is even more extreme than my situation, so if you were approved, I feel much better about my chances. It's really helpful to know that the NYS Department of Labor specifically called it "constructive dismissal" - I'm going to use that exact terminology when I file. The 4-week timeline you mentioned is also good to know so I can set proper expectations. I'm definitely going to ignore HR's advice at this point since everyone here is confirming they're wrong about the eligibility requirements. Thank you for the encouragement to file as soon as possible - I was worried about waiting too long and potentially missing some deadline!
Great to hear you got it working! That "confirm" step is so easy to miss - I almost made the same mistake when I filed my claim last fall. The system definitely needs better user interface design to make it clearer when you need to reactivate existing payment info for a new claim. Hope your payments come through smoothly from here on out!
Totally agree about the UI being confusing! I'm new to this whole unemployment process and honestly would have been completely lost without this thread. It's crazy that something as important as payment setup isn't more straightforward. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - it really helps newcomers like me understand what to expect!
This is such a helpful thread! I'm in a similar situation - just filed a new claim after being on unemployment about 8 months ago. Based on everyone's advice here, it sounds like the key is to not just assume your info is saved, but to actually log in and verify everything is correct AND activated for the new claim. That confirmation step seems to be what trips people up the most. I'm definitely going to follow those detailed steps someone posted and take screenshots like another person suggested. Better safe than sorry when it comes to getting paid on time!
Omar Fawaz
The NYS Department of Labor job search requirement is such a hassle! I understand why they need it but having to track everything when you're already stressed about being unemployed is frustrating. At least they don't make you submit it every week like some states do.
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Chloe Martin
•I know right?? I'm spending more time documenting my job search than actually looking for work sometimes lol
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Connor Gallagher
I've been using a simple Google Doc to track my job search activities and it works great! I set up columns for date, company name, position, contact method, and any follow-up actions needed. Since it's in the cloud I can access it from anywhere and it's easy to search if I need to find something specific. The key is being consistent about logging everything right after you do it - don't wait until the end of the week or you'll forget details.
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Ethan Wilson
•That's a really smart approach! I love the Google Doc idea - much better than keeping paper records that I might lose. Do you also track things like networking conversations or just formal applications? I'm still figuring out what exactly counts as a "job search contact" for NYS requirements.
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