Do I need to tell NYS Department of Labor unemployment that I got a job?
I just started a new full-time position this week after being on unemployment for about 6 weeks. I know I need to stop filing my weekly claims, but do I actually have to call or notify NYS Department of Labor that I'm employed again? My last weekly claim was filed on Sunday and I started work on Tuesday. I'm worried if I don't officially tell them they might think I'm hiding income or something. Has anyone dealt with this before?
13 comments

Micah Trail
Yes, you absolutely need to report this! When you file your next weekly claim (which should be your final one), you'll report your work hours and earnings for that week. If you worked any days during your benefit week, you need to report those earnings. After that, just stop filing weekly claims. NYS Department of Labor will automatically close your claim when you stop certifying for benefits.
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Kristin Frank
AuthorThank you! So I should file one more weekly claim reporting the days I worked this week, then stop filing after that?
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Nia Watson
i think you just stop filing and thats it. i got a job last year and never called them or anything and nothing happened
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Alberto Souchard
Actually, the previous poster is partially correct but missing an important detail. You need to file your weekly claim for any week where you had even one day of unemployment. So if you were unemployed Monday and Tuesday but started work Wednesday, you'd report that partial week of work on your weekly claim. The key is being honest about your work hours and earnings. NYS Department of Labor tracks this stuff through wage records anyway, so hiding employment would definitely cause problems later.
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Kristin Frank
AuthorThat makes sense. I was unemployed for 2 days this week before starting the new job, so I should report those 3 work days on my weekly claim.
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Katherine Shultz
Wait, I'm confused about this too. What if you get a job that starts the following week? Do you still file a claim for the week you were completely unemployed but knew you had a job starting?
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Marcus Marsh
I had a similar situation and couldn't get through to NYS Department of Labor on the phone to ask about it. Spent hours trying to call them with no luck. Someone told me about this service called Claimyr that actually gets you connected to an agent - you can check it out at claimyr.com and there's a demo video at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI. I used it to get clarification on reporting my new job and it was way easier than trying to call directly.
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Kristin Frank
AuthorHow much does something like that cost? I might need to call them about other stuff too.
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Marcus Marsh
It was worth it for me since I couldn't get through any other way. The peace of mind knowing I reported everything correctly was important.
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Hailey O'Leary
OMG this is exactly what I needed to know!!! I start a new job next Monday and I've been PANICKING about whether I need to do anything special. The whole unemployment system is so confusing and they make you feel like you're going to get in trouble for everything.
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Micah Trail
Don't panic! Just be honest on your weekly claims about any work you do. If you start work Monday, your current week's claim should show zero work hours, then next week's claim would show your full work week.
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Cedric Chung
The NYS Department of Labor system is designed to catch people who don't report work anyway. They get employer wage reports quarterly, so if you worked and didn't report it, they'll eventually find out and could charge you with an overpayment. Just report everything accurately and you'll be fine.
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Christian Bierman
Congratulations on the new job! I went through this exact situation a few months ago. You definitely want to file one final weekly claim for the week you started work, reporting the days you worked and any earnings from those days. After that, just stop filing weekly claims - the system will automatically close your claim after you miss a few weeks of certifying. The important thing is to be completely honest about your work hours and earnings. NYS Department of Labor cross-references with employer wage records, so any discrepancies will eventually surface. Better to over-report than under-report if you're unsure about anything!
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