I went through this exact same situation a few months ago! The key thing is to be completely transparent about your work start date on your final weekly certification. You'll file one last weekly claim where you report that you're starting work (include the exact date), and then you simply stop filing after that. NYS DOL will automatically close your claim after a period of inactivity. Don't worry about "canceling" anything - there's no formal cancellation process. Just make sure you don't continue to certify for weeks when you're working full-time, as that would create an overpayment issue. Good luck with the new job!

Congratulations on landing the new job! I just want to emphasize what others have said about being extra careful with that final weekly claim. When you report your start date, make sure it's the exact date - not approximate. I've seen people run into issues because they weren't precise with dates. Also, if your new job starts mid-week, you'll need to report any days you worked during that benefit week along with your earnings. NYS Department of Labor is very thorough about cross-checking employment records, so accuracy is key. Once you stop filing, you should receive a determination letter in a few weeks confirming your claim closure. Keep all your documentation from your UI claim period just in case!

Just wanted to say THANK YOU to everyone in this thread! I've been lurking and reading through all these responses while dealing with my own DOL nightmare for the past 6 weeks. This community has provided more actual helpful solutions than the entire DOL website combined. The assembly rep strategy seems like the real MVP here - seeing so many success stories within 2-3 days vs months of getting nowhere with regular channels. Also the 6-7am online portal tip is genius, never would have thought of that but explains why the system always crashes during normal hours. Gonna try both approaches Monday morning. It's honestly wild that we have to crowdsource workarounds like this when the state should make this process actually functional, but at least we're all helping each other navigate this broken system. Will definitely report back with results! 🙏

@Nia Thompson I'm so sorry you're dealing with this! I just moved to NY and am navigating the unemployment system for the first time - it's been a complete nightmare. Reading through everyone's responses here has been incredibly eye-opening. I had no idea about the assembly rep option or the early morning online portal strategy. I've been wasting time trying to call during regular hours and getting nowhere. Definitely going to find my assembly member on nyassembly.gov and try the 6:30am online approach. This thread has been more helpful than anything I found on the official DOL website. Thank you everyone for sharing actual solutions instead of just the usual "keep trying" advice! It's ridiculous that we have to figure out these workarounds ourselves, but I'm grateful this community exists to help each other navigate this broken system 🙏

You might also want to try logging into your NY.gov account early in the morning (like 6-7 AM) when their system tends to be more responsive. I've noticed the portal works better during off-peak hours. Also, make sure you're looking under "Unemployment Insurance" and then "Documents" or "Correspondence" - sometimes the verification letters are filed under different sections than you'd expect. If all else fails, you can also try visiting a local Department of Labor office in person with your ID and they can usually print one on the spot.

I went through this exact situation a few months ago for my lease renewal. What worked for me was sending a message through the secure messaging system in my.ny.gov asking specifically for a "benefit verification letter for housing purposes." I included my full name, SSN, and mentioned it was urgent for a rental application. They responded within 3 business days with the letter attached as a PDF. The key is being very specific about what type of verification you need and why. If you don't get a response within a week, then I'd recommend trying the phone route or visiting in person as others suggested.

Thanks everyone for all the helpful information! To summarize what I've learned: 1. I'll continue my NY unemployment claim after moving to PA 2. Need to update my address in the NY.gov system 3. Continue certifying weekly and meeting NY work search requirements 4. Make a note during certification about my move 5. Keep detailed records of work searches (minimum 3 per week) 6. Be prepared for tax complications next year 7. Set up mail forwarding with USPS This community is amazing! I was so stressed about this and now I feel much better prepared for my move. I'll update my address as soon as I have my new place secured.

Just wanted to add one more thing that helped me when I moved from NY to NJ last year - screenshot or print out your weekly certification pages before submitting them! The NY system can be glitchy sometimes and having proof of what you submitted and when really saved me during an audit. Also, if you're driving to PA, keep receipts for any job interviews or work-related trips back to NY since those can be deductible expenses. The move itself is stressful enough without worrying about benefits, so having good documentation gives you peace of mind!

Maya, you're definitely safe to decline that warehouse job! I went through something really similar about 3 months ago when I was between retail jobs. Got offered a position that was $6/hour less than what I was making before and it was in a completely different field. The anxiety about losing benefits was so real, but I'm so glad I trusted my gut and said no. That $5/hour drop from $18 to $13 is about a 28% pay cut, which is way beyond what NYS Department of Labor considers reasonable this early in your claim. Plus warehouse work has literally nothing to do with your retail management background - you'd basically be starting over from scratch. At 6 weeks in, you're still in that sweet spot where they expect you to be selective about offers that actually match your experience level. I ended up finding an assistant manager role at a different store that paid even better than my old job. Keep records of that warehouse offer and why it doesn't fit (huge pay cut, no relevant experience, waste of your management skills), but definitely don't feel pressured to take something that would set your career back just because it's available!

Maya, you're absolutely right to be concerned about this decision, but from everything I've seen about NYS Department of Labor guidelines, you should feel confident declining that warehouse job. That $5/hour drop from your retail management position (going from $18 to $13) is a 28% pay reduction, which is well below the 80% threshold that's generally considered suitable work in the early weeks of unemployment. More importantly, warehouse work has zero connection to your retail management experience - you'd essentially be throwing away your professional background to start over in a completely unrelated field. At only 6 weeks into your claim, you're still in the period where NYS DOL expects you to hold out for work that actually matches your skills and career trajectory. I'd recommend focusing your job search on retail supervisor, assistant manager, or management trainee positions where your experience managing people and operations will actually be valued. Keep documentation of this warehouse offer and your reasons for declining (significant pay cut, no warehouse experience, doesn't utilize management skills) just in case, but don't stress about saying no - you're well within your rights to be strategic about finding work that won't derail your career path!