Good luck with your move! Buffalo is a nice city. At least unemployment stuff is one less thing to worry about during a relocation.

I went through something similar when I had to move from Syracuse to Long Island for family reasons while collecting unemployment. The process was actually pretty straightforward - you just need to update your address in the online system and make sure you're still actively job searching in your new area. One thing to keep in mind is that Buffalo might have different job opportunities than Rochester, so you'll want to familiarize yourself with the local job market before you move. Also, make sure all your contact information is current because sometimes they send important notices by mail. The move itself won't disrupt your benefits as long as you stay in New York and keep meeting all the requirements!

I checked my account and found my banking info was still there but it wasn't activated for my new claim! Thank you all so much - especially to the person who gave the detailed steps. I had to click "confirm" like someone mentioned, even though all my information was already in the system. Really appreciate everyone's help!

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!

Make sure you keep track of any wages you earn in your final week of unemployment. Even if you only work a few days, you need to report those earnings on your last certification. NYS Department of Labor is pretty strict about accurate wage reporting.

Just wanted to add - when you report your return to work, make sure you have your start date and employer information ready. The system will ask for your new employer's name and address. Also, if you're starting part-time initially, you might still be eligible for partial benefits, so don't assume you need to completely stop your claim right away. The system will calculate if you're still eligible based on your reduced hours/wages.

This thread has been so helpful - I'm 5 months into unemployment after my startup folded and was really struggling with how to present this gap. Reading everyone's strategies has completely shifted my mindset! I love the idea of reframing it as "strategic career planning" rather than just being unemployed. I've actually been doing a lot during this time - completed two professional certifications, started volunteering with a local nonprofit to keep my project management skills sharp, and built a pretty solid network through industry meetups. The NYS DOL requirements have actually helped structure my job search in a way I never would have done on my own. Instead of feeling ashamed about the gap, I'm going to start presenting it as intentional career development time. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - it really helps to know we're not alone in this!

This whole conversation has been a game changer for me! I'm 4 months into unemployment benefits after my department got eliminated, and I've been spiraling about how to explain the gap. Reading everyone's approaches has made me realize I've been way too focused on what I'm NOT doing instead of highlighting what I AM doing. I've been meeting all my NYS DOL weekly requirements, completed a digital marketing bootcamp, and even started a small freelance project to keep my skills current. But I was so worried about the stigma of collecting benefits that I wasn't seeing how to frame this positively. I'm going to try the "Career Development & Strategic Job Search" approach on my resume and practice explaining it as being selective about finding the right cultural and role fit. It's such a relief to know other people have successfully navigated this and that employers can actually respect the strategic approach. Thank you all for sharing your stories - this community support means everything when you're feeling isolated in the job search process!

honestly the whole system is ridiculous... you're injured, can't work, and they make it impossible to get any help figuring out what benefits you can actually get. typical government bureaucracy making things harder than they need to be

I went through something similar last year. The key thing to understand is that unemployment and short-term disability have conflicting eligibility requirements. For unemployment, you must certify weekly that you're "able, available, and actively seeking work." But if you're receiving STD benefits, you're medically certified as unable to work. NYS DOL won't approve both simultaneously in most cases. However, once your doctor clears you to return to work but your employer doesn't have a position available (or if you were terminated while on disability), then you could potentially file for unemployment. I'd suggest waiting until you're medically cleared, then file if you still don't have work to return to. Document everything with your doctor and employer in case you need to explain the timeline later.