This whole thread has been incredibly reassuring! I'm actually in NYC and just got approved for unemployment after losing my marketing job two weeks ago. My benefits are similar to yours - about $380/week. I was literally losing sleep worrying about my Medicaid getting cut off, especially since I have a chronic condition that requires regular specialist visits. Reading everyone's experiences and advice has been such a lifesaver. I'm planning to report my unemployment income through the myBenefits app this week - sounds way less stressful than trying to get through on the phone. One thing I'm curious about though - has anyone dealt with reporting unemployment income while also having COBRA offered from their former employer? I'm trying to figure out if I should stick with Medicaid or switch to COBRA, but the costs are so different. Medicaid is basically free for me while COBRA would be like $600/month. Seems like a no-brainer to stay on Medicaid as long as I'm eligible, but wanted to see if anyone else has navigated this decision.

I just want to say how grateful I am for this entire thread! I'm dealing with the exact same situation - got laid off from my admin job three weeks ago and just started receiving unemployment benefits of about $320/week. I was absolutely panicking about potentially losing my Medicaid coverage, especially since I have some ongoing medical treatments I can't afford to interrupt. Reading everyone's experiences and practical advice has been such a huge relief. It's amazing how much clearer everything becomes when you have real people sharing what actually worked for them rather than trying to decode government websites. I'm definitely going to report my unemployment income through the myBenefits app this week - the step-by-step guidance from people who've actually used it makes it feel so much less intimidating. And I love all the documentation tips - screenshots, certified mail receipts, keeping records of everything. You've all turned what felt like navigating a bureaucratic nightmare into something manageable. Thank you for creating such a supportive and informative discussion!

I'm actually going through this transition right now - my disability benefits end in about 10 days and this thread has been incredibly helpful! One thing I want to add based on my research is that you should also check if you qualify for any job retraining programs through the Department of Labor while you're collecting UI benefits. Since you've been out of work for 8 months due to your injury, you might be eligible for vocational rehabilitation services that could help you transition into work that better accommodates your physical restrictions. I found out about this through my local One-Stop Career Center, and they have counselors who specialize in helping people with disabilities or work-related injuries find suitable employment. It's worth looking into since it could expand your job options beyond just light duty versions of what you did before. The combination of UI benefits plus access to retraining or job placement services designed for people with work limitations could really strengthen your position in the job market.

I've been following this conversation and wanted to share my experience from last year when I made this same transition. The most important thing I learned is to be completely honest about your work restrictions during the UI application process - trying to downplay limitations can backfire if you're offered a job you physically can't perform. I made the mistake of being vague about my restrictions at first because I was worried it would hurt my chances, but the DOL representative actually told me that being specific helps them match you with appropriate work opportunities. Also, I'd recommend reaching out to your state's vocational rehabilitation services even before your disability ends if possible. They can start working with you on job placement strategies while you're still receiving disability benefits, so you're ready to hit the ground running once you transition to UI. The whole process taught me that there are actually a lot more resources available than I initially realized - you just have to know where to look and be proactive about asking for help.

I'm also dealing with this exact situation right now - planning to visit my cousin in Orlando for about a week while on unemployment. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly helpful, especially hearing from people like @Sophie Hernandez, @Edward McBride, and @Zainab Ibrahim who actually went through this and shared their detailed approaches. The consensus seems pretty clear: if you can't realistically be available for work (meaning you couldn't fly back immediately for an interview or start a job), don't claim benefits for those days. I was initially worried about losing a week of benefits, but after seeing how many people had zero issues when they resumed filing after voluntary gaps, I'm convinced this is the right approach. Better to be conservative with NYS DOL than risk overpayment problems later. Has anyone here had experience with longer trips (like 2+ weeks) and how that affected their claims?

I'm new to this community but dealing with the exact same situation - been on unemployment for 3 months and really want to visit family out of state. After reading all these detailed experiences, I'm really grateful for everyone sharing their real-world approaches. It's clear that being transparent with NYS DOL is the way to go, even if it means losing some benefits temporarily. @Sophie Hernandez, @Edward McBride, and @Zainab Ibrahim - your detailed breakdowns of how you handled travel while on UI and the outcomes are incredibly valuable. The pattern seems consistent: don't claim for days when you genuinely can't be "able and available" for work, document your job search activities even while traveling, and NYS DOL processes everything normally when you resume. I was initially nervous about creating gaps in my claim, but seeing how many people successfully resumed with no issues gives me confidence. Thanks everyone for creating such a helpful resource thread - this is exactly the kind of peer support that makes navigating unemployment so much easier!

I'm dealing with a similar situation right now and this thread has been incredibly helpful! I was terminated last week for attendance issues - mostly due to my public transportation being unreliable during the winter months and a few family emergencies. Reading everyone's experiences gives me confidence to file my claim even though I'm worried about the misconduct aspect. One question I have - for those who successfully appealed or got approved, how important was it to have witnesses or third-party verification of your circumstances? I have some text messages to family members about the train delays and one email to my supervisor about a family emergency, but I'm wondering if that's enough or if I need more formal documentation. Planning to file this week and start gathering everything I can find!

I went through this exact situation about 8 months ago - fired for chronic lateness due to a combination of childcare issues and car problems. Here's what I wish I had known from the start: even though it feels hopeless, you absolutely should file your claim immediately. NYS Department of Labor will initially look at it as misconduct, but the adjudication process is where you can really make your case. I gathered everything I could think of - repair receipts, text messages about childcare emergencies, even my bank statements showing daycare payments to prove I had legitimate responsibilities. The adjudicator spent about 20 minutes on the phone with me going through each incident, and I was able to explain the circumstances behind every single tardy arrival. What really helped was creating a timeline matching each attendance issue to the specific problem that caused it. Even though I didn't have formal documentation at work, I could show these were real circumstances, not just excuses. My claim was approved after the appeal. Don't give up before you even try - the system is designed to help people who face genuine hardships, not just punish everyone who gets fired.

I work for a legal aid organization that helps with unemployment cases, and I want to emphasize that withdrawing your appeal is absolutely a valid option when you've reassessed your situation. The fact that you're being realistic about your chances shows good judgment. One thing I'd add to the excellent advice already given - when you send your withdrawal request, include your full name, Social Security number, and case/appeal number to make sure they can process it quickly. Also, if you have any documentation from when you originally filed the appeal, reference that in your withdrawal letter. The Appeals Office handles these requests routinely, so don't worry about it being unusual. You're making a smart decision to withdraw rather than potentially making your situation worse at a hearing.

I withdrew my appeal a few months ago and the process was actually pretty straightforward. I called the Appeals Office first to ask about the procedure, and they told me I needed to send a written request. I sent an email with my case number, SSN, and a simple statement that I wanted to withdraw my appeal. They responded within 3 business days confirming receipt and then sent me an official withdrawal letter about a week later. My hearing was automatically cancelled once they processed the withdrawal. The whole thing took maybe 10 days total. Don't stress too much about it - you're making the right call if you know you don't have a strong case. Better to withdraw now than risk making things worse at the hearing.