Can I collect NYS Department of Labor unemployment if I quit my job to move to another state?

That's what I was afraid of. What if my employer doesn't have any remote work options? Would that make a difference?

There are very specific circumstances where spousal relocation might qualify, but it's rare and depends on factors like military orders or company transfers. Most voluntary moves don't meet NYS Department of Labor's good cause requirements.

Did you end up finding work in your new state quickly? I'm worried about the gap between jobs.

It took me about 3 months to find something comparable. I'd definitely recommend having savings built up and maybe trying to line up interviews before you move.

If you're having trouble reaching NYS Department of Labor by phone, I've heard people mention using Claimyr (claimyr.com) to help get through to an agent. There's a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Might be worth checking out if you need to discuss your specific circumstances.

@Liam Fitzgerald That s'actually a really good suggestion I hadn t'thought of! Even if they can t'officially lay me off, maybe they d'be willing to eliminate my position or restructure things in a way that would qualify. It s'definitely worth having an honest conversation with HR about my situation before I just resign.

@Victoria Brown @Liam Fitzgerald This is such smart advice! I ve been'at my company for 2 years and have a good relationship with my manager. Maybe I can frame it as helping them plan for my departure while also exploring if there s any'way to make this work in my favor. Even if it s a'long shot, it s better'than automatically disqualifying myself from benefits by quitting outright. Thanks for this perspective!

@Liam Fitzgerald This is brilliant advice! I never would have thought to approach it this way. Since I have 6 weeks notice, that gives me time to have a thoughtful conversation with my manager about the situation. Even if they can t'do a formal layoff, maybe there s'some other arrangement we could work out. It s'definitely worth exploring before I just quit and automatically disqualify myself. Thanks for thinking outside the box on this!

@Liam Fitzgerald This is exactly what I was looking for - practical advice instead of just you "re'out of luck. I" m'definitely going to schedule a meeting with my manager this week to discuss options. Even if a formal layoff isn t'possible, maybe they d'be open to letting me work remotely temporarily or reducing my hours in a way that could help with benefits eligibility. The worst they can say is no, but at least I ll'have explored every avenue before making the move to Texas.

@Liam Fitzgerald This is really smart advice! I hadn t'considered asking about a layoff - I was just assuming I d'have to quit. Given that I ve'been there 2 years and am giving them 6 weeks notice, maybe they d'be willing to work with me. Some companies prefer doing layoffs anyway since it helps with their unemployment insurance rates compared to having high turnover. Definitely worth having that conversation before I just resign and lose any chance at benefits.

@Liam Fitzgerald This is such helpful advice! I m'the original poster and honestly hadn t'even considered this approach. My company has been pretty good to work for, and since I m'giving them plenty of notice, maybe they d'be open to working something out. Even if it s'not a formal layoff, perhaps they could restructure my position or offer a severance package that might help bridge the gap. It s'definitely worth having an honest conversation with my manager about my situation rather than just putting in my two weeks and walking away empty-handed.

@Liam Fitzgerald This is really smart thinking! I hadn t'considered this angle at all. Since I m'giving 6 weeks notice and have been a reliable employee, maybe my company would be willing to work with me on this. Even if they can t'do an official layoff, perhaps they could offer a severance package or find some other creative solution. It s'definitely worth having that conversation before I just quit outright and lose any chance at benefits. Thanks for the outside-the-box suggestion!

@Liam Fitzgerald This is exactly the kind of creative thinking I needed! I ve'been so focused on the traditional quit vs. get fired scenarios that I didn t'consider there might be a middle ground. My company has always been pretty reasonable about working with employees, so maybe they d'be open to discussing options. Even if a formal layoff isn t'possible, perhaps we could explore a mutual separation agreement or they could eliminate my position as part of restructuring. "Worth" a shot before I just hand in my resignation and automatically disqualify myself!

@Liam Fitzgerald This is brilliant advice that I wish I had known about earlier! I m'actually in a similar boat - my partner got a job offer in another state and I was dreading having to quit and lose out on benefits. The idea of approaching your employer about a potential layoff or restructuring makes so much sense, especially if you have a good working relationship with them. Companies sometimes prefer this approach too since it can be better for their records than having employees quit. Definitely going to try this approach when the time comes!

@Liam Fitzgerald This is such valuable advice! I m'dealing with a similar situation where my spouse got a job offer out of state. I was resigned to just quitting and hoping for the best, but you re'absolutely right that having an honest conversation with my employer could open up possibilities I hadn t'considered. Since I m'giving them plenty of advance notice, maybe we can work out some kind of arrangement that benefits both of us. Even if they can t'do a formal layoff, perhaps there are other creative solutions like a voluntary separation package or position elimination. It s'definitely worth exploring before I just walk away from any potential benefits. Thanks for this perspective!

@Fatima Al-Rashid This is incredibly helpful information! I m'the original poster and had no idea about the compelling "family circumstances provision." Can you share more details about what specific documentation you needed for the appeal? I m'wondering if my husband s'job offer letter and proof that my company doesn t'offer remote work would be enough, or if there are other things I should be gathering now while I still have time. Also, were you able to collect benefits from NY even after moving to California, or did you have to transfer your claim? The 3-month timeline is concerning since we re'planning to move in 6 weeks, but if there s'a real chance of approval it might be worth the effort and stress of going through the appeals process.

@Fatima Al-Rashid Wow, this gives me so much hope! I had completely given up on the idea of getting benefits. For the documentation, did you need anything specific about why remote work wasn t'possible with your employer? Like a written statement from HR or just proof that it s'not company policy? Also, I m'curious about the timeline - did you file for unemployment before or after you actually moved to California? I m'trying to figure out the best way to approach this since we re'moving to Texas in 6 weeks and I want to make sure I don t'mess up the process by doing things in the wrong order.