I went through this exact same situation about 6 months ago when I switched from Bank of America to a local credit union because of their ridiculous monthly fees. Here's my timeline: I submitted the direct deposit change on a Monday, called using claimyr.com on Wednesday to confirm it was in the system (which it was), and my first payment hit the new account exactly 9 business days later. The rep I spoke to said changes typically process within 5-10 business days but recommended waiting at least one full payment cycle before closing the old account. I kept both accounts open for about 3 weeks just to be absolutely sure, and I'm glad I did because there was one small hiccup where a previous week's adjustment payment went to the old account even after the regular payments were going to the new one. My advice: update your info right after this week's payment, wait 10-12 business days before filing again, and don't close that old account until you've seen at least 2-3 successful payments in the new one. The fees suck but it's not worth the stress of a lost payment!

I actually just went through this exact process about 2 months ago! Switched from Wells Fargo to a credit union because of their outrageous maintenance fees. Here's what I learned: Submit your banking change right after you get your current payment (like on a Monday or Tuesday), then wait at least 2 full weeks before filing your next claim. My change took 8 business days to process, but I waited the full 2 weeks to be absolutely certain. The most important thing - and I cannot stress this enough - is to call and verify the change went through before you file again. I used claimyr.com like others mentioned here and got connected to a rep in about 15 minutes. She confirmed my new account was showing in their system and even gave me a confirmation number to write down. Also, DO NOT close your old account until you've received at least 3 payments successfully in your new account. I thought 1 payment would be enough but then had a random backpay adjustment that went to my old account 2 weeks later. Would have been a nightmare if I'd already closed it. The waiting sucks when you're trying to escape those bank fees, but trust me - a few extra weeks of fees is way better than dealing with lost payments and the stress of trying to track down your money in their broken system. Good luck!

The NYS Department of Labor will look at whether you willfully violated company policy or if there were circumstances beyond your control. Health issues that prevent you from working are usually considered beyond your control. Make sure you have documentation ready in case they request it during the adjudication process. Also keep doing your job search activities while you wait for the decision on your claim.

I went through something similar - was discharged for attendance issues related to a chronic condition. The NYS Department of Labor approved my claim because I was able to show that my absences were health-related and not willful misconduct. Key things that helped me: 1) I was honest about the discharge reason when filing, 2) I had medical documentation ready (even partial records help), and 3) I emphasized that I intended to return to work and wasn't abandoning the job. The adjudication took about 4-5 weeks but it was worth the wait. Don't let the discharge discourage you from applying - you have a good chance of approval given the medical circumstances.

I just had this exact same experience last month! Filed my unemployment application on a Thursday, got a job offer the following Tuesday, and was panicking about how to handle it properly. I called the NYS Department of Labor number (it's in your my.ny.gov account under contact info) at 8:00 AM sharp on a Wednesday morning. Had to redial about 22 times but finally got through to an agent who was incredibly helpful. The whole withdrawal process took maybe 6 minutes - they just needed my SSN, full name, and application date. Got a confirmation number on the spot and an email later that day confirming the withdrawal. The agent told me this happens all the time and actually thanked me for calling instead of just abandoning the claim. No penalties at all, and they assured me it won't affect future applications if I ever need unemployment again. My advice: call first thing in the morning, have your info ready, and don't give up on the redialing - it's totally worth it to get this handled properly. Congrats on the new job, and don't stress about this - it's a routine process for them!

I actually just completed this process yesterday! I submitted my unemployment application last Tuesday and then unexpectedly received a job offer on Friday. I was really anxious about how to properly handle the withdrawal without causing any future issues. I called the NYS Department of Labor customer service number (available in your my.ny.gov account) at 8:15 AM on Monday morning. It took approximately 28 redials to finally connect with an agent, but the actual withdrawal process was incredibly straightforward once I got through. The representative was very professional and asked for my Social Security number, full name, date of birth, and the original application submission date. Within about 8 minutes, they had completely withdrawn my claim and provided me with a confirmation number. I immediately wrote down the confirmation number and received an email verification later that afternoon. The agent assured me that this withdrawal would not impact any future unemployment applications and emphasized that calling to properly withdraw claims actually helps their system run more efficiently. They mentioned this type of request is quite common and appreciated that I took the proactive approach rather than simply ignoring the application. My recommendation is to call as early as possible in the morning (8 AM seems optimal based on everyone's experiences), have all your documentation ready, and be persistent with redialing - it's absolutely worth the effort to handle this correctly. Congratulations on your new employment opportunity!

Wow, this thread has been incredibly thorough and helpful! I'm also potentially facing a layoff situation in the next month or two, and reading through everyone's experiences has been like getting a masterclass in severance and unemployment benefits. The key takeaways I'm getting are: 1) Ask HR specifically about "wages in lieu of notice" vs true severance, 2) Check for any work restrictions during severance period, 3) Consider lump sum vs payment plan implications, 4) File unemployment claim immediately regardless of severance timing, and 5) Document absolutely everything. One aspect I haven't seen discussed yet is whether the size of your severance package affects your unemployment benefit amount at all. I know the weekly benefit calculation is based on your previous earnings, but I'm wondering if getting a large severance somehow impacts that calculation or if it's completely separate. Also planning to look into that Claimyr service mentioned by @Layla Mendes since it sounds like getting through to an actual person at the DOL is nearly impossible through normal channels. This community is such a valuable resource - thank you to everyone who shared their real-world experiences!

This thread has been absolutely invaluable - I'm bookmarking it! I'm actually in the early stages of what might become a layoff situation (company just announced "organizational changes" which usually means cuts are coming). Reading through everyone's detailed experiences has given me a roadmap for navigating this if it happens. The most eye-opening thing for me was learning about the "wages in lieu of notice" distinction - I had no idea that could completely change the unemployment timeline. I'm already starting to prepare by researching the questions I should ask HR and thinking about documentation I might need. One thing I'm wondering about that hasn't come up yet - for those who have been through this, did you find it helpful to consult with an employment attorney before signing severance agreements, or is that usually overkill for standard packages? I'm trying to balance being prepared without getting ahead of myself since nothing's official yet. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - this kind of real-world advice is so much more valuable than trying to decode government websites on your own!

I've been documenting my job searches in a simple Word document and it's worked fine during my claim reviews. Just include: date, company name, position title, how you applied (website, email, in-person), and contact info if available. Don't overthink it - NYS Department of Labor just wants to see you're making genuine efforts. Also, attending virtual job fairs and career webinars count toward your 3 weekly activities, which helped me when physical applications were slim. The key is consistency in your record-keeping format.

Just want to add that if you're using LinkedIn for job searching, make sure to document those applications too! I've been applying through LinkedIn Easy Apply and it definitely counts toward the 3 weekly requirements. I include the LinkedIn job posting URL in my log along with the standard info (company, position, date). Also, don't forget that updating your resume or LinkedIn profile can count as a job search activity - I learned this from a NYS Department of Labor rep. It's helpful when you're having a slow week with actual applications but still need to meet the requirement.