Does NYS Department of Labor track if you leave the country while on unemployment?

You need to report any time you're not available for work in NY, including travel outside the country. When you file your weekly claim, there's a question about being available for work. If you answer truthfully that you were out of the country, your claim for that week will likely be denied. NYS Department of Labor requires you to be physically present and available for immediate employment.

They don't automatically track your location but if you get audited or they have reason to check, they can request travel records. Border crossings are documented and can be accessed if needed. Better to be honest than risk an overpayment later.

Had a similar situation last year when my dad was in the hospital overseas. I contacted NYS Department of Labor ahead of time and they told me I could request an extension or pause my claim temporarily. You might want to call them directly - though good luck getting through. I used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that actually got me connected to a real person at NYS Department of Labor within like 20 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI

wait so they can really check if you leave the country?? i thought only immigration tracked that stuff

This whole system is ridiculous. Family emergencies happen and they expect you to choose between helping your family and keeping your benefits. I've been fighting with NYS Department of Labor for months over similar issues - they make it impossible to be a decent human being while unemployed.

Thanks for asking this question OP. I've been wondering the same thing since my cousin's wedding is coming up in Mexico. Sounds like I need to plan this more carefully.

I went through something similar when my mom was hospitalized in Ireland last year. The key is being proactive and honest with NYS DOL. I called ahead and explained the family emergency situation - they were actually pretty understanding and let me temporarily suspend my claim rather than filing weekly and getting denied. You don't lose your place in the benefit year, you just pause it. When I came back after 3 weeks, I resumed filing normally. The important thing is to contact them BEFORE you travel, not after. Don't try to file weekly claims while you're there because you'll be lying about availability for work in NY state. Document everything about the family emergency too in case they ask questions later.

I actually work in benefits administration (different state) and can confirm what Amy said is correct. Most states including NY have provisions for temporary claim suspensions due to family emergencies. The key is documentation - have medical records, hospital contact info, or other proof ready when you call. NYS DOL typically allows suspensions for legitimate emergencies without penalty to your benefit year. Just make sure you're completely honest about your situation and timeline. Also, don't file any weekly claims while you're gone - that's where people get in trouble. The suspension protects you from having to answer those availability questions incorrectly.

I went through this exact situation two months ago when my grandmother in the UK had a stroke. The stress of potentially losing benefits while dealing with a family emergency was overwhelming. I ended up calling NYS DOL and explaining the situation - they were surprisingly compassionate and allowed me to suspend my claim for 3 weeks without any penalty. The rep told me that family medical emergencies are one of the accepted reasons for temporary suspension. I had to provide the hospital's contact information and a brief letter from the attending physician, but nothing too complicated. When I returned, I just resumed filing my weekly claims as normal - no additional paperwork or verification needed. The whole process actually went much smoother than I expected. My advice would be to call as soon as you know you might need to travel, be completely honest about the situation, and have any medical documentation ready. Don't stress too much about it - they do understand that life happens and family comes first.

This thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm also dealing with a potential family emergency situation where I might need to travel to help my elderly father who lives in Germany. Reading through everyone's experiences, it sounds like the key is being proactive and honest with NYS DOL rather than trying to hide travel or file claims while unavailable for work in NY. The fact that they have official processes for emergency suspensions is really reassuring. I had no idea this was even an option - I thought it was just "file every week or lose your benefits" with no flexibility for life circumstances. It's good to know that family medical emergencies are recognized as legitimate reasons for temporary claim suspension. I'm definitely going to gather documentation ahead of time and call them before making any travel arrangements. Thanks to everyone who shared their real experiences with this - it takes a lot of the anxiety out of an already stressful situation when you know there are proper channels to handle these emergencies without losing your benefits entirely.

I just want to echo what others have said about being proactive and honest with NYS DOL. I had a similar situation last fall when my brother was in a serious car accident in Toronto. I was terrified about losing my benefits but called them immediately to explain the emergency. The representative was actually very understanding and walked me through the temporary suspension process. I provided hospital documentation and was able to suspend my claim for 10 days without any issues. When I returned, I just resumed filing normally - no penalties or complications. The key really is calling them BEFORE you travel, not after. Don't try to file weekly claims while you're there because answering "yes" to being available for work in NY when you're in Canada would be fraudulent. The emergency suspension option exists specifically for situations like yours with your sister. Family health emergencies are legitimate reasons for temporary unavailability. Document everything about her condition and have that ready when you call. It's much better to be upfront than risk an overpayment investigation later.

I'm really glad you asked this question - it's something a lot of people wonder about but are afraid to ask. Based on all the responses here, it sounds like NYS DOL actually has a reasonable process for handling family emergencies like yours with your sister in Canada. The consistent advice seems to be: call them before you travel, be completely honest about the medical emergency, have documentation ready (hospital info, doctor's notes, etc.), and request a temporary claim suspension rather than trying to file weekly claims while you're there. It's reassuring to see so many people who successfully navigated similar situations without losing their benefits. The key is being proactive and transparent rather than trying to work around the system. I hope your sister's health improves and that you're able to be there for her without worrying about your unemployment benefits. Family comes first, and it sounds like NYS DOL recognizes that when you follow the proper procedures.

This is such an important question that I'm sure many people in similar situations have wondered about but hesitated to ask. Reading through all these responses has been really eye-opening - I had no idea that NYS DOL had specific procedures for family emergency situations like this. It's incredibly reassuring to see so many real examples of people who successfully suspended their claims for medical emergencies involving family members abroad without losing their benefits or facing penalties. The consistent advice from everyone who's been through this seems crystal clear: call NYS DOL immediately when you know you might need to travel, be completely transparent about the family medical emergency, gather all relevant documentation (hospital contacts, medical records, doctor's notes), and request an official temporary claim suspension rather than trying to continue filing weekly claims while unavailable for work in NY. What really stands out to me is how understanding the representatives seem to be when people are honest about legitimate emergencies - it shows there's real humanity in the system when you follow the proper channels. To the original poster, I hope your sister's health situation improves and that you're able to be there for her without the added stress of worrying about your benefits. This thread proves that doing the right thing for your family and protecting your unemployment benefits aren't mutually exclusive when you handle it properly through official channels.