Can you receive unemployment if you move out of New York State - NYS Department of Labor rules?
I've been collecting unemployment benefits through NYS Department of Labor for about 8 weeks now after getting laid off from my marketing job in Albany. My lease is up next month and I'm thinking about moving to my sister's place in Vermont to save money while I job search. Does anyone know if I can still get my weekly unemployment payments if I move out of state? I don't want to mess up my claim or get in trouble with NYS Department of Labor but rent here is killing me. Has anyone dealt with this situation before?
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Amara Okonkwo
Yes, you can generally continue receiving NYS unemployment benefits if you move out of state, but there are specific requirements you need to follow. You must notify NYS Department of Labor of your address change immediately through your online account. You'll still need to file your weekly claims and meet all job search requirements - 3 work search activities per week. The key is that you have to be able and available for work, which means being willing to return to New York for suitable employment if offered.
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Liam O'Sullivan
•Thank you! Do I need to look for jobs in NY specifically or can I search for remote work and jobs in Vermont too?
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Giovanni Marino
I moved to North Carolina last year while on unemployment and it was fine. Just make sure you update your address in the system right away and keep doing your weekly certifications. The job search thing can be tricky though - I had to show I was still looking for work that I could reasonably commute to or that was remote.
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Fatima Al-Sayed
•Wait, but what if they offer you a job back in NY and you can't take it because you moved? Wouldn't that disqualify you?
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Amelia Dietrich
•That's exactly the risk - if NYS DOL offers you suitable work in New York and you can't accept it due to your out-of-state move, it could disqualify you from benefits. The "able and available" requirement is pretty strict. @Giovanni Marino how did you handle that situation when you moved to NC? Did they ever offer you work back in NY?
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Dylan Hughes
This is actually more complicated than people think. NYS Department of Labor requires that you be available for work in your normal labor market area. Moving out of state could potentially affect your eligibility if they determine you're no longer available for suitable work in New York. I'd suggest calling them before you move to discuss your specific situation, but good luck getting through - their phone lines are always busy.
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NightOwl42
•If you're having trouble reaching NYS Department of Labor by phone, I had success using Claimyr (claimyr.com) a few months ago when I needed to speak to someone about my adjudication issue. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Basically they call for you and get you connected to an actual agent instead of waiting on hold forever.
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Sofia Rodriguez
ugh the whole system is so confusing!! i moved from buffalo to rochester last year and even that was a hassle to update everything. cant imagine going out of state. they make everything so difficult for no reason
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Dmitry Ivanov
•Moving within state is totally different though - that shouldn't affect your benefits at all as long as you update your address.
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Amara Okonkwo
To answer your follow-up question about job searching - you can look for remote work and jobs in Vermont, but you also need to show that you're still available for suitable work in your New York labor market. The safest approach is to include some NY-based remote positions or jobs you could realistically commute to if needed. Document everything in your work search log because NYS Department of Labor can request this information at any time.
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Liam O'Sullivan
•This is super helpful, thank you! I'll make sure to keep detailed records of my job search activities.
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