good luck! hope it comes faster than mine did

I went through this exact situation last month! My account got closed out of nowhere too. Here's what I learned: you definitely need to call both numbers that Sienna mentioned. I called NYSDOL first (took forever to get through) and they told me the closure was on KeyBank's end for "security reasons." Then I called KeyBank and had to verify my identity with like 10 different questions before they would even discuss sending a new card. The whole process took about 12 business days from start to finish. Pro tip: call KeyBank early in the morning (like 8am) - way shorter wait times than afternoon calls.

Just make sure you file as soon as possible if you're eligible. The waiting week and all that starts from when you file, not when you figure out if you qualify.

I went through this exact situation about a year ago! The process was definitely manageable once I understood what they needed. You'll want to gather your medical clearance documentation before filing - I had to get a letter from my treating physician stating I was medically able to return to work, plus the official notice from Social Security about my benefits ending. The NYS DOL was actually pretty understanding about the disability gap once I explained it properly. The trickiest part was proving I was actively seeking work, so make sure you're documenting your job search activities from day one. Good luck with your application!

If you're having trouble getting through to NYS Department of Labor by phone to ask questions before filing, I recently discovered this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that can help you get connected to an actual agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. I was stuck trying to reach someone for days about my adjudication status and this actually got me through to talk to a real person at NYS Department of Labor within a few hours.

Just file online today! I made the mistake of overthinking it when I got laid off and lost out on like $400 because I waited too long. The my.ny.gov site walks you through everything step by step.

I went through the same situation a few months ago when I started my new job. NYS DOL didn't contact my employer at all - they rely on their quarterly wage reporting system to verify employment. As long as you're honest about your work hours and earnings on your weekly certifications, you shouldn't have any issues. The key is just being accurate and timely with your reporting. Your new employer won't even know you were on unemployment unless you tell them.

I had a similar worry when I got my new job last year. NYS DOL never contacted my employer directly - they have automated systems that cross-reference your reported wages with employer quarterly reports, so they don't need to make phone calls unless there's a red flag. Just keep filing your weekly certifications accurately until your benefits end, and you should be all set. Your employer likely won't even know you were collecting unemployment benefits unless you mention it yourself.

Just to confirm what others said - no Social Security tax on UI benefits. But definitely consider withholding because unemployment income can push you into a higher bracket when combined with your regular job income from earlier in the year.

I went through this same situation last year when I was laid off from my retail job. Emma and Isabella are absolutely right - no FICA taxes on unemployment benefits, but they're fully taxable as regular income. I'd strongly recommend having the 10% federal withholding taken out when you certify each week. Even though it reduces your weekly payment, it saves you from a big tax bill later. You can change your withholding election anytime through the NY DOL website or by calling them. Trust me, it's worth the smaller weekly payments to avoid scrambling for tax money in April.