Can you collect unemployment if you have a job lined up in NY?

Yes, you can absolutely file for unemployment benefits in this situation! Having a future job lined up doesn't disqualify you from collecting UI benefits. The key is that you must be available and actively seeking work during the weeks you're claiming benefits. When you file your weekly claims, you'll need to certify that you're able and available to work. Just make sure to report the job offer when you file and update NYS Department of Labor when your start date approaches.

i had the same thing happen to me couple months ago. filed for unemployment and had a job starting 3 weeks later. got benefits for those weeks no problem. just dont forget to stop certifying once you start working or youll get an overpayment notice

The important thing to understand is that unemployment eligibility is determined week by week. Each time you file your weekly claim, you're certifying that for THAT specific week you were unemployed, able to work, available for work, and actively seeking employment. A future job doesn't affect your current unemployment status. However, you should be honest about the job offer when filing - NYS Department of Labor may ask about it during the application process.

Wait I'm confused about this too. I thought if you already had work lined up that meant you weren't really available for other work? Like what if someone offered you a job that started sooner - would you take it or stick with your planned job?

I've been dealing with NYS Department of Labor for months trying to get through to someone about my claim issues. If you need to actually talk to an agent about your specific situation, I found this service called Claimyr that helped me get through. You can check it out at claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. It was way easier than spending hours on hold.

Just file and don't overthink it. Worst case they deny you and you appeal. Better to try and get some money coming in than worry about every little rule.

I went through this exact same situation last year! Filed for unemployment after a layoff while having a job that wouldn't start for 8 weeks. NYS approved my claim without any issues. The key things I learned: 1) Be upfront about the future job when filing your initial claim - they may ask about it but it won't disqualify you, 2) You still need to do your weekly job search activities (I kept applying to other positions just in case), and 3) Make sure to stop filing claims the week your new job starts. The whole process was actually pretty straightforward. Don't let the gap in income stress you out - this is exactly what unemployment benefits are for!

I was in a similar situation about 8 months ago - got laid off with a job lined up 5 weeks later. Filed for unemployment and had zero issues. The NYS system is actually pretty user-friendly for this scenario. When I filed my initial claim online, there was a section where I could indicate I had future employment lined up, and it didn't flag any problems. Got my first payment within 2 weeks. The main thing is just being consistent with your weekly certifications - I made sure to always answer truthfully that I was available for work during those interim weeks. One tip: set a reminder on your phone for the week before your new job starts so you don't accidentally file an extra claim. The transition was smooth and really helped bridge that income gap when I needed it most.