How to cancel unemployment benefits with NYS Department of Labor - need help stopping my claim
I got a new job starting Monday and need to figure out how to cancel my unemployment benefits properly. I've been getting UI for about 6 weeks but don't want to mess anything up by not canceling correctly. Do I just stop filing my weekly claims or is there something specific I need to do with NYS Department of Labor? I'm worried if I don't do this right they'll say I was overpaid or something. Has anyone dealt with this before?
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Daniel White
You don't technically 'cancel' unemployment - you just stop filing your weekly claims once you start working. When you file your last weekly claim, make sure to report your start date for the new job. NYS Department of Labor will automatically close your claim once you stop filing. Just be honest about your work start date and you'll be fine.
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Abigail Patel
•Thanks! So I should file one more weekly claim and report that I'm starting work, then just stop filing after that?
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Nolan Carter
Make sure you report your first day of work on your final weekly claim! This is super important. If you worked any days during that benefit week, you need to report those earnings too. NYS Department of Labor is pretty strict about this stuff and you don't want them coming after you later for an overpayment.
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Natalia Stone
•This is exactly right. I made the mistake of not reporting my start date properly and had to deal with their overpayment unit for months. Just be completely honest about when you start working.
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Tasia Synder
omg yes just stop filing!!! i got a job last year and was so paranoid about doing something wrong but literally all you do is stop certifying for benefits. the system knows when you stop filing and will close your claim automatically after a few weeks of no activity
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Selena Bautista
I had trouble reaching someone at NYS Department of Labor when I had questions about this same thing. If you need to talk to an actual person about your specific situation, I used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get through to an agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Might be worth checking out if you want to confirm everything is handled correctly.
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Abigail Patel
•Thanks for the suggestion! I might try calling first but good to know there's a backup option if I can't get through.
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Mohamed Anderson
wait do we need to tell them we're looking for work anymore once we get a job? i thought there was some requirement about job searching that we had to stop or something? im so confused about all the rules with this stuff
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Daniel White
•Once you stop filing weekly claims because you're working, the job search requirement doesn't apply anymore since you're not claiming benefits. The job search requirement is only for weeks when you're actively claiming UI benefits.
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Ellie Perry
Congrats on the new job! I just went through this process last month. Like others said, just file your final weekly claim with your work start date and stop filing after that. NYS Department of Labor will send you a notice after a few weeks confirming your claim is closed. Keep that notice for your records just in case.
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Keisha Taylor
I went through this exact same situation a few months ago! The key thing is to be completely transparent about your work start date on your final weekly certification. You'll file one last weekly claim where you report that you're starting work (include the exact date), and then you simply stop filing after that. NYS DOL will automatically close your claim after a period of inactivity. Don't worry about "canceling" anything - there's no formal cancellation process. Just make sure you don't continue to certify for weeks when you're working full-time, as that would create an overpayment issue. Good luck with the new job!
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Javier Torres
•This is really helpful, thank you! I was definitely overthinking it. So just to make sure I understand - I file my weekly claim for this week (reporting my Monday start date), then just don't file anymore after that? And NYS DOL will eventually send me something confirming the claim is closed?
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Mateo Rodriguez
•Exactly right! That's all there is to it. Yes, NYS DOL will eventually send you a notice (usually comes in the mail after 2-3 weeks of not filing) that officially confirms your claim is closed. Keep that notice with your important documents just in case you ever need it for reference. The whole process is much simpler than most people think - you're doing everything correctly by reporting your start date on that final claim.
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Morgan Washington
Congratulations on landing the new job! I just want to emphasize what others have said about being extra careful with that final weekly claim. When you report your start date, make sure it's the exact date - not approximate. I've seen people run into issues because they weren't precise with dates. Also, if your new job starts mid-week, you'll need to report any days you worked during that benefit week along with your earnings. NYS Department of Labor is very thorough about cross-checking employment records, so accuracy is key. Once you stop filing, you should receive a determination letter in a few weeks confirming your claim closure. Keep all your documentation from your UI claim period just in case!
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Sunny Wang
•This is such great advice about being precise with dates! I'm starting Monday 5/26 so I'll make sure to report exactly that date. Quick question - since I'm starting on a Monday (first day of the benefit week), do I still need to report any earnings for that week or just the start date? I assume I wouldn't have any earnings to report since I literally just started that day.
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