Can I transfer my unemployment to another state when I move?
I'm currently receiving NYS Department of Labor unemployment benefits but my lease is up next month and I'm planning to move to Virginia for a job opportunity that fell through. Can I transfer my unemployment claim to another state or do I have to start over? I've been getting benefits for about 8 weeks now and really don't want to lose everything I've built up. Has anyone done this before? The NYS Department of Labor website isn't clear about interstate transfers.
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Mateo Perez
You can't actually 'transfer' your NYS Department of Labor claim to another state, but you don't lose your benefits either. New York will continue to pay your claim even if you move to Virginia, as long as you keep filing your weekly claims and meet all the requirements. You'll still need to do your job search in Virginia and report any work you find there.
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Nia Davis
•That's a relief! Do I need to notify NYS Department of Labor about the move or just update my address?
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Aisha Rahman
Yes definitely update your address with NYS Department of Labor as soon as you move. You'll continue filing with New York since that's where your claim was established. The job search requirements will apply to your new location though - so you'll be looking for work in Virginia but reporting it to New York.
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CosmicCrusader
•Wait I'm confused... if he's looking for work in Virginia why can't he just file there instead? Wouldn't that be easier?
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Aisha Rahman
•No, you file where you earned your wages that qualify you for UI. Since his wages were earned in NY, he has to stick with the NYS Department of Labor claim.
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Ethan Brown
Just moved from NY to Florida last year and kept my NYS Department of Labor benefits the whole time. Super easy actually - just changed my address online and kept doing my weekly claims. The only annoying part was explaining to potential employers down here why I was getting NY unemployment lol
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Nia Davis
•How did you handle the job search requirements? Did you have to look for jobs in NY or Florida?
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Ethan Brown
•Job search in Florida since that's where I was living and available for work. NYS Department of Labor was fine with it as long as I logged everything properly.
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Yuki Yamamoto
This is exactly why I got frustrated with the whole system when I moved last year! Spent hours on hold trying to get through to someone at NYS Department of Labor to ask this same question. Finally used claimyr.com to get connected to an actual agent who explained everything clearly. There's even a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI if you want to see how it works. Made the whole process so much less stressful.
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Nia Davis
•Thanks for the tip! I might need to call them anyway to make sure I do the address change correctly.
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Carmen Ortiz
just keep filing ur weekly claims and update address thats it... i moved to texas and still get my ny benefits no problem
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Aisha Khan
I went through this exact situation when I moved from NY to North Carolina about 6 months ago! The key thing to remember is that you keep your NYS Department of Labor claim active - don't let it lapse thinking you need to start over in Virginia. Make sure to update your address immediately through the online portal or by calling them. One tip: when you're doing your job searches in Virginia, keep detailed records because the reporting format might be slightly different than what you're used to in NY. Also, don't be surprised if some Virginia employers seem confused about your NY unemployment status - just explain that it's completely normal and legal. You've got this!
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