How to get off unemployment benefits properly - NYS Department of Labor requirements?
I've been collecting unemployment for about 4 months now and I think I'm ready to stop filing weekly claims. I got a part-time job offer that might turn into full-time soon, and honestly I'm tired of doing the job search requirements every week. What's the right way to end my unemployment claim with NYS Department of Labor? Do I just stop filing my weekly certification or do I need to notify them somehow? I don't want to mess anything up or have issues later if I need to reopen my claim.
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Javier Garcia
You should definitely notify NYS Department of Labor when you want to stop claiming benefits. Don't just stop filing - that can create problems if you ever need to reopen your claim later. Log into your my.ny.gov account and look for the option to close your claim voluntarily. You can also call the main number, though good luck getting through. The proper way is to file one final weekly certification where you report your return to work and indicate you no longer need benefits.
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NebulaNomad
•Thanks! I didn't know there was a way to officially close it. I'll look for that option in my account.
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Emma Taylor
I stopped filing when I got my job last year and never had any issues. Just didn't file the next weekly claim and that was it. Been working full time since then.
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Javier Garcia
•That might work short term but it's not the recommended way. If you ever get laid off again and need to reopen your claim, not properly closing it can cause delays in your benefits.
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Malik Robinson
WAIT don't just stop!! I made that mistake and when I got laid off 6 months later I had to jump through hoops to reopen my claim. The NYS Department of Labor system flagged it as abandoned and I had to do a whole adjudication process to prove I wasn't trying to commit fraud. It was a nightmare that took weeks to resolve.
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NebulaNomad
•Oh wow, that sounds terrible! I definitely want to do this the right way then. How did you eventually get it sorted out?
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Malik Robinson
•I had to provide all my employment records and do a phone interview. Took forever to get through to someone at NYS Department of Labor. Actually ended up using this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) to help me get connected to an agent faster. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Saved me hours of calling.
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Isabella Silva
The official process is to file your final weekly certification and report your return to work status. In that certification, indicate that you're no longer available for work due to employment. This properly closes your claim and maintains your benefit year if you need to reopen later. Make sure you report any wages you'll be earning from your new job too, even if it's part-time initially.
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NebulaNomad
•Perfect, this is exactly what I needed to know. So I file one more time but report that I'm working now?
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Isabella Silva
•Exactly. Report your work status and any earnings, and the system will process the closure. Keep documentation of your final filing in case you need it later.
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Ravi Choudhury
good for you getting off the system! I've been trying to find work for 8 months now and still nothing. The job search requirements are such a pain.
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NebulaNomad
•Hang in there! I know how frustrating it can be. The job market seems to be picking up a bit lately.
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Keith Davidson
Just want to add that if your part-time job has irregular hours or you're not sure about the full-time conversion timeline, you might want to keep your claim open initially and just report your part-time earnings each week. NYS allows you to work part-time while collecting reduced benefits as long as you report all wages honestly. This way you have a safety net if the full-time position doesn't materialize. Once you're confident about steady full-time work, then do the proper closure process everyone mentioned above.
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Zadie Patel
•That's really smart advice about keeping the claim open initially with part-time work reporting. I hadn't thought about that option. Since my new job is only part-time right now and they said "might" turn into full-time, maybe I should do exactly what you suggested - report the part-time wages and keep the claim active until I know for sure about the full-time position. Better safe than sorry! Do you know if there's a limit to how long you can do partial benefits like that?
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