Can military spouse collect NYS Department of Labor unemployment benefits due to PCS move?
My husband is getting PCS orders to relocate from Fort Drum to another base out of state in about 6 weeks. I've been working at a local medical office for the past 2 years but obviously can't keep my job when we move. Does anyone know if military spouses can qualify for NYS Department of Labor unemployment benefits when they have to quit due to a PCS? I heard there might be special rules but I'm not sure how it works or what documentation I'd need to provide.
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Paolo Bianchi
Yes, New York does have provisions for military spouses! You can qualify for unemployment benefits if you quit your job due to your spouse's PCS orders. You'll need to provide a copy of the PCS orders and documentation showing your employment history. Make sure to file your claim before you leave New York, and keep all your military documentation organized for the NYS Department of Labor.
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Keisha Thompson
•That's such a relief! Do I need to apply for benefits in New York or can I wait until we get to our new duty station?
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Yara Assad
definitely apply in NY before you leave!! i made the mistake of waiting and it was a nightmare trying to sort it out from another state
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Olivia Clark
You should file your initial claim with NYS Department of Labor as soon as you have the PCS orders, even if you haven't quit yet. The key is establishing your claim in New York since that's where you worked and paid into the system. You can continue filing weekly claims from your new location, but the initial application needs to be done through New York's system on my.ny.gov.
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Keisha Thompson
•Perfect, that makes sense. I'll start gathering all the paperwork now. Thanks for the heads up about filing early!
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Javier Morales
Wait, are you sure about this? I thought you couldn't get unemployment if you voluntarily quit your job, even for military reasons. This seems too good to be true.
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Paolo Bianchi
•Military spouse PCS moves are considered 'good cause' for leaving employment under New York unemployment law. It's specifically written into the regulations because lawmakers recognized that military families don't have a choice when it comes to PCS orders.
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Natasha Petrov
I went through this exact situation 3 years ago when my husband got orders from Fort Drum to Fort Campbell. The NYS Department of Labor approved my claim without any issues once I provided the PCS orders. The whole process took about 2 weeks from application to first payment. Just make sure you have copies of everything - the orders, your last paystub, and your social security card.
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Connor O'Brien
If you're having trouble getting through to the NYS Department of Labor to ask questions about your specific situation, I recently found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me reach an actual agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Might be worth checking out if you need to speak with someone directly about the military spouse provisions.
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Keisha Thompson
•Thanks for the suggestion! I might need that if I run into any complications with my application.
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Amina Diallo
Good luck with your move! Fort Drum to anywhere else is usually an upgrade lol. The unemployment benefits should help with the transition costs.
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