I'm a newcomer to this community and this discussion has been incredibly eye-opening! I just started working remotely from Long Island for a company based in Chicago about 3 months ago, and I honestly had no clue about any of this unemployment stuff. Reading through everyone's experiences makes me feel so much more prepared and less anxious about the "what ifs." It's amazing how much the system has adapted to remote work since the pandemic. I really appreciate everyone taking the time to share their knowledge and actual experiences - it's so much more helpful than trying to navigate government websites alone. This community seems like such a valuable resource for people navigating these kinds of employment situations!

As someone who just went through a similar situation, I can confirm everything others have said here! I worked remotely from Westchester for a Boston-based startup and when they had layoffs last month, filing with NYS Department of Labor was completely straightforward. The key thing that helped me was having all my paperwork ready beforehand - pay stubs, employment letter, and the layoff notice from HR. The online application took about 25 minutes and I had my first payment within 2.5 weeks. One small tip: when you get to the section about your work location, be very clear that you worked from your home address in NY. I wrote something like "Remote work performed from home residence" in the additional details section just to be extra clear. The whole process was much smoother than I expected, especially after reading horror stories online about unemployment systems. Don't stress too much about it - you've got this!

I'm in almost the exact same situation! Was laid off from my full-time job last fall, collected benefits for a few months, then worked part-time until recently when that ended too. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful - especially learning about the benefit year vs. new claim distinction. I had no idea about the 10x rule only applying to completely new claims after your benefit year expires. That's a huge relief! I've been putting off dealing with this because the whole system seemed so intimidating, but now I feel like I have a clear path forward. Going to try reopening online first, and if that doesn't work, I'm definitely setting that early morning alarm to call right at 8 AM. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - it's amazing how much clearer this all becomes when you hear from people who've actually been through it. Fingers crossed we all get this sorted out soon! 🤞

Hey everyone! Just wanted to jump in and share that I'm also dealing with a similar situation right now. Got laid off from my main job early this year, collected benefits for a while, then took a temporary contract position that just ended. Reading through all these responses has been SO helpful - I had no idea about the difference between reopening a claim vs filing a new one within the benefit year! The advice about calling at exactly 8 AM seems to be the consensus here. I'm definitely going to try that approach since the online system has been giving me nothing but headaches. It's honestly ridiculous how difficult they make this process when people are already stressed about losing income. @Eli Butler - really hope your call tomorrow morning works out! Please keep us updated because I think there are quite a few of us in this same boat who could benefit from hearing how it goes. This thread has been way more informative than anything on the official DOL website. Sometimes you really need to hear from real people who've actually navigated this mess! Good luck to everyone dealing with unemployment bureaucracy right now - we'll get through this! 💪

ugh the whole moving thing is such a pain with government benefits... had to deal with this when i moved from westchester to buffalo last year and it took forever to get someone on the phone at NYS Department of Labor to confirm everything was updated correctly

Just want to echo what others have said - moving within NY state doesn't affect your unemployment eligibility at all. I actually work as a benefits counselor and see this question a lot. The key things to remember: 1) File online at my.ny.gov using your current Buffalo address, 2) Have your employment history from your Syracuse job ready, and 3) You don't need to do anything special about the county change. The system is designed to handle intrastate moves seamlessly. Good luck with your claim and the job search in your new city!

just a heads up the rules change sometimes so whatever you find online might be outdated... always verify with current NYS Department of Labor guidance

Also worth mentioning that certain non-profit organizations may have different UI tax requirements - some 501(c)(3) organizations can elect to reimburse the state directly for unemployment benefits paid to their former employees instead of paying regular UI taxes. And clergy members are typically exempt from UI coverage unless they specifically elect coverage. The NYS Department of Labor publication "Employer's Guide to Unemployment Insurance" has all these details, though like someone mentioned, make sure you're looking at the most current version since rules do change.

If you run into issues getting through on the phone to NYS Department of Labor (which happens a lot), I recently found this service called Claimyr at claimyr.com that helps you actually reach an agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Saved me hours of trying to call and getting busy signals when I needed to ask about my claim status.

Just want to add - make sure you're eligible before applying. You need to have worked enough quarters and earned enough wages. Also be prepared for the job search requirements once you start receiving benefits. NYS Department of Labor requires you to actively look for work and keep records of your job search activities.