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Freya Christensen

Can I certify for ny unemployment while visiting another state for a few days?

I've been collecting unemployment in New York since May after my retail job downsized. I'm planning to visit some family in Nevada next week from Thursday to Monday. Will this mess up my ability to claim my weekly benefits? Do I have to physically be in New York when I certify? I've heard different things and I'm worried about doing something wrong. I'll still be actively applying for jobs while I'm away and can take interviews remotely if needed. I'm just visiting, not relocating or anything. Has anyone done this without issues?

Yes, you can certify from another state. I went to Florida for 2 weeks last winter and had no problems certifying. As long as you're available to work and looking for work, your physical location doesn't matter for a short trip. Just make sure you have internet access to do your weekly certification and job searches.

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I found this awesome service called Claimyr that helped me get through to someone at NY unemployment when I had questions about traveling. Talking to an agent got my confusion cleared up so fast! Highly recommend checking out claimyr.com if you need to speak with someone directly. They called and waited on hold for me, then connected me with a live agent. Here's a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE

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wait is this for real? does it actually connect you with a unemployment rep? the hold times are ridiculous

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100% worked for me! I was stuck on hold for HOURS trying to reach someone before I found them. They call and wait on hold, then call you when they get a person.

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sounds too good to be true... how does this even work? 🤔

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It's pretty simple - they have a system that dials and waits on hold so you don't have to. When they get a human, they call your phone and connect you. Saved me like 3 hours of hold music 😂

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another unemployment 'solution' that probably doesn't work... seen a million of these

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I actually tried this last month when my payments got held up. It worked really well - had been trying to get thru for weeks before that.

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Just make sure you're answering the certification questions honestly. The questions ask if you were ready, willing and able to work each day - if you were on vacation and not actually available to work, you should indicate those days. A weekend visit where you're still available for work/interviews shouldn't be an issue.

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Thank you! I'm definitely still going to be available for interviews - I've had a bunch of remote ones anyway. Just visiting family who I haven't seen in forever.

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You're good then. Just remember to do your work search activities even while visiting. I document everything in a spreadsheet just in case.

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I use the mobile app to certify every week, works from anywhere in the country. Been collecting since February and traveled a few times without issue. As long as your able to work and looking for work you are fine to certify from anywere.

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The real question is if you're available for work while away. If you're just visiting for a few days and could start a job when you get back (or do interviews remotely), then you're fine. If you're saying no to job offers because you're out of town, that's different.

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exactly! i was told by a rep that what matters is your availability to accept work, not your physical location. its about whether you could start a job if offered one.

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The system doesn't track your location when you certify. You could be on the moon and they wouldn't know. Just be honest about your work search and availability and you'll be fine for a short trip.

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that's not true! they absolutely can tell what state you're in from your IP address when you login. they may not check but they CAN know 🤦‍♂️

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Actually they don't track IP addresses for certification - I asked a rep directly about this when I had to travel for a family emergency. They said short trips are fine.

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Maybe they told you that but the system definitely logs IP info. I work in IT and pretty much every govt website does this. Whether they USE that info is another question.

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If I were u, I'd call and ask because every state has different rules. NY unemployment system is a mess and u don't wanna get flagged for fraud. Better safe than sorry.

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Good luck getting through to them on the phone 🙄 I tried calling for 3 weeks straight and never got through

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Try claimyr.com - they got me through to an agent in about 45 mins. Way better than spending all day calling.

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According to the NY unemployment handbook, you need to be physically present in the US, ready and able to work. It doesn't specifically say you have to be in NY. A weekend trip shouldn't affect anything as long as you're available to work and actively searching. ive been on UI since last june and taken several trips without issues.

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I'm a former unemployment specialist who consults on these issues now. Here's what you need to know: For short trips like yours (just a few days), NY unemployment benefits can absolutely be claimed while you're physically in another state. The key factors are: - You must remain available for work (which you said you are) - You must continue your work search requirements (minimum job applications per week) - You must be able to return to NY to accept suitable work if offered - You must be physically present in the United States Many people worry unnecessarily about this. The system is designed to accommodate reasonable travel. If you were moving permanently or staying away for months, that would be different. If you want definitive answers, I recommend using claimyr.com to get through to an agent who can document your travel plans in your case notes. This creates a record of your transparency and good faith. Keep documentation of your job search activities while traveling - this is your best protection if questions ever arise.

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This is super helpful, thank you so much! I'll definitely keep documenting my job searches.

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Is this true for all states or just NY? I'm on NJ unemployment but browse this sub for general advice.

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Each state has different specific rules. NJ is similar but they're a bit stricter about notification of travel. I'd recommend checking their official policy.

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DONT EVEN WORRY ABOUT IT!!! I literally went to cali for TWO MONTHS last summer while collecting ny unemployment and certified every week no problem. As long as your still doing your job searchs and available to interview remotely nobody cares!! The system doesn't even track where you are.

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This is terrible advice. Just because you got away with something doesn't mean it's allowed. If you're out of the job market for 2 months, you're not really available for work.

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I was doing remote work searches and had 3 zoom interviews while I was there lol. If a job offered me something I would've flown back. Don't be so uptight 🙄

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Remote work is everywhere now anyway. Does it really matter where your physical body is if you can start a remote job from anywhere? The system needs to catch up with reality.

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I've had nothing but problems with ny unemployment since day 1. Had my account frozen twice, payments delayed, and got different answers from every rep I talked to. If your really worried, use claimyr.com to get through to someone and get the answer documented in your file. At least then if there's an issue later you can say you asked.

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You're overthinking this. A weekend trip isn't going to matter at all - I've done several since being on UI. Now if you were gone for months or leaving the country, that would be different. Just certify as normal and keep doing your job searches.

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Why would u even mention this to them?? Just certify like normal. The unemployment office isn't tracking your location lol. As long as ur doing the required job searches and available for work ur fine.

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this ^^^ 💯

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I just went through this exact situation last month. Went to Arizona for a week and was worried about certifying. I called using claimyr.com to skip the wait and the rep told me it was completely fine to certify from another state as long as I was: 1) Still conducting my work search activities 2) Available to interview (phone/zoom counts) 3) Able to accept work She said traveling for a short period doesn't disqualify you as long as you meet these conditions. She put a note on my account too so there wouldn't be any issues. No problems with my payment that week.

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That's a relief to hear! Did you have to tell them about your travel plans beforehand or just if they happened to ask?

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I only told them because I called with this specific question. They don't require notification for domestic travel. If you were leaving the country, different story.

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Ugh the NY unemployment system is so outdated and confusing. I swear they make it complicated on purpose to discourage people from claiming. But yeah for your specific question - a weekend trip is fine. I've done it many times.

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The real issue isn't where you certify from, it's whether you're truthfully answering if you were ready, willing and able to work each day. If you're on a beach sipping margaritas and wouldn't take a job if offered, that day should be marked as unavailable. But if you're just visiting family and would still take a job/interview, you're good.

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This is the most accurate answer here. It's about your availability to work, not your location.

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I was in a similar situation last year when I had to visit my sick grandmother in Pennsylvania for a few days. I was really stressed about it too, but it turned out to be no big deal at all. I certified from there using my phone and everything went smoothly. The key thing is exactly what others have said - you just need to be honest about being available for work. Since you're only going for a long weekend and can still do interviews remotely, you should be totally fine. I kept up with my job applications while I was away and even had a phone interview scheduled for when I got back. The system really is set up to handle normal life situations like visiting family. Safe travels and enjoy your time with your family!

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I've been on NY unemployment for about 8 months now and have traveled out of state several times without any issues. The most important thing is that you continue meeting your work search requirements and remain available for work. Since you're only going for a few days and can still do remote interviews, you should be completely fine. I usually just make sure to have good internet access wherever I'm staying so I can certify on time and continue applying for jobs. The system doesn't require you to be physically in NY to certify - just that you're available and actively looking for work. Have a great trip with your family!

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Thanks for sharing your experience! It's really reassuring to hear from someone who's been through this multiple times. 8 months is a long time to be navigating this system - you must have it figured out by now! I'm definitely planning to keep up with my job applications while I'm away. Do you have any tips for staying organized with the work search requirements when you're traveling?

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I've been in a similar situation and can confirm that certifying from another state for a short visit is absolutely fine. I traveled to Michigan for a week last summer while on NY unemployment and had zero issues. The key is being honest on your weekly certification - as long as you're truly available to work and continuing your job search, your physical location doesn't matter. Since you're only going Thursday to Monday and can still do remote interviews, you're in great shape. Just make sure you have reliable internet access for certifying and keep documenting your job search activities like you normally would. The NY DOL understands that people need to travel for family visits and other legitimate reasons. Enjoy your time with your family and don't stress about it!

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This is exactly what I needed to hear! I've been so anxious about this trip because I really don't want to mess up my benefits. It sounds like as long as I keep doing everything I'm supposed to do (job searching, staying available for interviews), the location doesn't really matter. I'll make sure to bring my laptop and keep track of all my job applications like usual. Thanks for the reassurance - sometimes you just need to hear from people who've actually been through it!

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I've been collecting unemployment in NY since March and have traveled to visit family in different states three times without any issues. Each time I made sure to continue my work search activities and stayed available for phone/video interviews. The key is being honest when you certify - if you're truly available to work and actively job searching, your physical location for a short trip doesn't matter. I always bring my laptop to keep up with applications and have even done a couple Zoom interviews while visiting relatives. The NY system is designed to accommodate normal life situations like family visits. Just document everything you're doing for your job search while away and you'll be fine. Enjoy your time with your family in Nevada!

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Mei Liu

This is really helpful to hear from someone with so much experience! I've been worried about this for weeks. It sounds like the main thing is just being truthful about availability and keeping up with job searches. I'm definitely planning to bring my laptop and stay on top of applications. Have you ever had to do any interviews while traveling? I'm curious how that worked out logistically.

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I was in almost the exact same situation last year! I had been on NY unemployment since April and needed to visit my sister in Arizona for a long weekend. I was so worried about it that I actually used Claimyr to get through to a representative beforehand. The agent I spoke with was super helpful and explained that short domestic trips are completely fine as long as you remain available for work and continue your job search activities. She emphasized that "available for work" in today's job market includes being able to do phone and video interviews, which it sounds like you're prepared for. I certified from Arizona without any issues and even had a Zoom interview scheduled for the Monday I got back. The rep also mentioned that they understand people have family obligations and normal life situations - they're not expecting you to be chained to your house while on unemployment. Just keep documenting your job applications and stay reachable for potential employers. You're only going for a few days and you're being responsible about it, so you should be totally fine. Have a great visit with your family!

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This is so reassuring to hear! I've been stressing about this for way too long. It sounds like using Claimyr to talk to someone beforehand was really smart - I might do the same just to have that peace of mind and get it documented in my file. I love that the rep specifically mentioned how "available for work" includes remote interviews now. That makes total sense given how much the job market has changed. I'm definitely going to keep detailed records of all my job applications while I'm away. Thanks for sharing your experience - it's exactly what I needed to hear!

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I traveled from NY to visit family in Ohio for a week back in October while collecting unemployment and had no issues at all. The most important thing is maintaining your work search requirements and being genuinely available for work opportunities. I made sure to bring my laptop, continued applying to jobs daily, and even scheduled a phone interview for right after I got back. When you certify, just answer honestly about your availability - if you could realistically accept a job offer or do an interview remotely, then you're available for work regardless of which state you're physically in. The system recognizes that people have legitimate reasons to travel and won't penalize you for a short family visit as long as you're still actively job searching. Document everything you do for your job search while you're away and you'll be covered. Have a wonderful time with your family!

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Thanks for sharing your experience! It's really reassuring to hear from someone who actually went through this recently. I like how you mentioned scheduling the phone interview for after you got back - that shows you were still actively engaged in the job search process even while traveling. I'm definitely going to follow your advice about bringing my laptop and documenting everything. It sounds like the key is just being genuine about your availability and not trying to hide anything. I've been overthinking this so much, but hearing all these success stories is really putting my mind at ease!

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I've been on NY unemployment since August and have traveled out of state twice for family visits without any problems. The first time I was really nervous about it, but I called ahead using one of those callback services (similar to what others mentioned) and the representative assured me that short domestic trips are fine as long as you stay available for work. The second time I didn't even worry about it - just made sure to keep up with my job applications and brought my laptop for certifying. Your situation sounds exactly like mine - just a few days visiting family while still being available for remote interviews. The key is being honest when you certify about your availability and continuing your work search activities. Since most interviews are remote these days anyway, your physical location for a short visit really doesn't matter. Just document your job search efforts like you normally would and enjoy your time with your family!

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This is exactly the reassurance I needed! It's so helpful hearing from someone who's done this multiple times. I love that you called ahead the first time to get that peace of mind - that's probably what I'm going to do too. The fact that you didn't even worry about it the second time really shows how routine this can be once you understand the rules. You're right that most interviews are remote now anyway, so being available for work doesn't really depend on your exact location anymore. I'm definitely going to document everything and just focus on enjoying time with my family instead of stressing about this. Thanks for sharing your experience!

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I completely understand your anxiety about this! I went through the exact same worry when I had to visit my brother in Florida for a few days while on NY unemployment. After reading through all these responses and based on my own experience, you're absolutely fine to travel for a short visit like yours. The key points everyone's mentioned are spot on: stay available for work (which you clearly are), continue your job search activities, and be honest when certifying. Since you're only going Thursday to Monday and can do remote interviews, you're in great shape. I'd suggest keeping a simple log of your job applications while you're away - just for your own peace of mind and records. The NY unemployment system definitely accommodates normal life situations like family visits. Try not to stress too much about it and enjoy your time with your family in Nevada! You're being responsible by asking these questions beforehand.

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Thank you so much for this! Reading through everyone's experiences has been such a huge relief. I've been losing sleep over this for no reason apparently 😅 The consensus seems pretty clear - as long as I'm still available for work and keeping up with job searches, a short family visit is totally fine. I really appreciate the tip about keeping a log of applications while I'm away. I already do that normally but it'll be extra important to stay organized while traveling. It's amazing how much stress I was putting myself through when this is actually pretty straightforward. Now I can actually look forward to seeing my family instead of worrying about my benefits! Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - this community is so helpful! ❤️

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I've been on NY unemployment since June and have traveled out of state multiple times for family visits - never had a single issue with my benefits. The key is exactly what everyone else is saying: stay available for work and keep up with your job search requirements. For your Thursday-Monday trip to Nevada, you're totally fine. I always make sure to bring my laptop so I can continue applying for jobs and be ready for any video interviews that might come up. The NY system understands that people have lives and family obligations. Just be honest when you certify about being available and able to work (which you clearly are since you can do remote interviews), and document your job applications like you normally would. Don't stress about this - enjoy your time with your family! The unemployment office isn't going to penalize you for a short domestic trip when you're still actively job searching.

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This thread has been so helpful! I'm actually in a similar situation - been on NY unemployment since September and have a wedding to attend in California next month. Reading everyone's experiences has really put my mind at ease. It sounds like the main thing is just being upfront about availability and not letting the job search slip while you're away. I've been doing mostly remote interviews anyway, so being in a different state for a few days shouldn't really change anything. Thanks for sharing your experience - it's reassuring to hear from someone who's done this multiple times without issues!

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I was in a very similar situation last year when I needed to visit my mom in Texas for a long weekend while on NY unemployment. I was so anxious about it, but it ended up being completely fine! I certified from there using the mobile app and kept up with my job applications the whole time. The most important thing is that you're genuinely available for work - which you clearly are since you mentioned being able to do remote interviews. I even had a phone screening scheduled for the day after I got back home. The NY DOL really does understand that people have family obligations and life situations that require short trips. As long as you're honest about your availability when certifying and don't let your work search requirements slide, you'll be absolutely fine. Enjoy your time with your family and try not to stress about it! This thread has shown that tons of people have done exactly what you're planning without any issues at all.

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Wait, I'm confused - are you the same Freya who posted the original question? Your names are the same but different member IDs. Either way, this whole thread has been incredibly reassuring! I've been on unemployment for about 4 months now and was planning a similar trip to visit family. It's so helpful seeing all these real experiences from people who've actually done this successfully. The consistency in everyone's advice really shows this is pretty straightforward - stay available for work, keep job searching, be honest when certifying. Thanks to everyone who shared their stories!

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I've been on NY unemployment since October and just got back from a trip to visit my sister in Pennsylvania for 5 days. I was nervous about it too, but everything went smoothly! I made sure to bring my laptop and continued applying for jobs every day I was there. I even had a Zoom interview while I was visiting (which went great, by the way!). The key is just being honest when you certify - I marked that I was available and able to work each day because I truly was. I could have accepted a job offer or done interviews remotely. The certification questions are really about your willingness and ability to work, not your exact GPS location. For your Thursday-Monday trip, you should be totally fine. Just keep up with your work search requirements and stay available for any opportunities that come up. The NY system definitely accommodates normal life situations like family visits. Have a great time in Nevada!

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This is so encouraging to hear! I love that you even had a successful Zoom interview while visiting family - that's exactly the kind of thing I was hoping to be able to do. It really drives home the point that being "available for work" in today's market is more about your willingness and ability to engage with opportunities than your physical location. Your trip sounds like it was the perfect example of how to handle this responsibly. I'm definitely going to follow your approach of bringing my laptop and staying on top of applications every day. Thanks for sharing such a positive recent experience - it's exactly what I needed to hear to feel confident about my own trip!

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I've been on NY unemployment since July and have taken several short trips to visit family without any issues. Based on all the experiences shared here, your Thursday-Monday trip to Nevada is absolutely fine! The key things I've learned are: 1) Keep doing your required job searches while you're away, 2) Stay available for phone/video interviews (which you already said you can do), and 3) Be honest when certifying that you're ready and able to work. I always bring my laptop when I travel and treat it like a working vacation - still applying to jobs but getting to see family too. The NY system definitely understands that people need to maintain relationships and have normal life experiences while job searching. Don't overthink it - just document your job search activities like usual and enjoy your time with your family! Everyone's advice here is consistent for a reason - this is really a non-issue for short domestic trips when you're still actively job searching.

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This whole thread has been such a lifesaver! I've been reading through everyone's experiences and the advice is so consistent - it really shows this isn't as complicated as I was making it out to be. I love your approach of treating it like a "working vacation" - that's exactly how I'm going to think about it now. Just staying productive with job searches while getting to spend quality time with family I haven't seen in ages. The fact that so many people have done this successfully without any issues is really reassuring. I'm going to stop overthinking and just focus on enjoying my trip while staying on top of my responsibilities. Thanks for adding your experience to this amazing thread! 🙏

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