Moving to PA from NY - how to transfer unemployment benefits?
Hey all, I'm currently receiving NY unemployment benefits but I'm moving to Pennsylvania in a few days (found a cheaper apartment). Does anyone know how to transfer my claim from NY to PA? Do I need to cancel my NY claim first or can I just apply in PA? Will this mess up my remaining benefits? Really nervous about this since I'm still job hunting and can't afford to lose benefits during the move. Thanks for any help!
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Charlotte White
u dont transfer it. u keep collecting from NY since thats where u worked and qualified. just make sure u update ur address in the system
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Anthony Young
•Really? That would be so much easier! So I just need to update my mailing address in the NY system and keep certifying as normal?
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Admin_Masters
There's no actual "transfer" process between states. When you move to Pennsylvania, you'll continue claiming benefits from New York because that's where your wage credits are established. What you need to do is: 1. Update your address in your NY.gov ID account 2. Continue to certify weekly as you normally would 3. Make sure you're still meeting NY's work search requirements (still need to look for work in NY or PA) 4. If you have direct deposit, your bank account info should stay the same Just be aware that you'll still need to follow NY's unemployment rules even while living in Pennsylvania. Your benefits amount and duration won't change.
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Anthony Young
•Thank you SO MUCH for explaining this! I was worried I'd have to start a whole new claim and maybe lose weeks of benefits. Do I need to tell NY DOL specifically that I moved out of state, or just updating the address is enough?
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Admin_Masters
•Just updating your address is generally sufficient. The system will recognize you've moved to another state. However, it's a good idea to make a note of your move during your next weekly certification just to be extra safe. There's usually a section for notes or changes to your situation.
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Matthew Sanchez
•this is SUPER IMPORTANT >>> make sure you're following NY's work search requirements even in PA!!! I moved to Connecticut and kept getting NY benefits but got flagged for an interview because I wasn't documenting work searches properly. You need 3 per week MINIMUM!!!
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Ella Thompson
I'm actually in the exact same situation! Moving to Pittsburgh next week but still on NY unemployment. I've been trying to get through to someone at NYSDOL to ask about this but can't get a human on the phone. Has anyone actually talked to a rep about this process? I'm worried about doing something wrong and having my benefits cut off.
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JacksonHarris
•I had a similar issue last month trying to reach NYSDOL about an address change to Vermont. After days of failed attempts, I used Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through to an agent quickly. They have a service that gets you past the phone maze and connects you with an actual representative. Saved me hours of frustration. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE The agent confirmed exactly what others are saying here - you continue your NY claim, just update your address and keep certifying. They also mentioned making sure your work search records explicitly note that you're now living out of state.
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Jeremiah Brown
This tripped me up when I moved to Ohio last year! You absolutely can keep your NY benefits but there's one MAJOR thing nobody mentioned yet - taxes! NY will still withhold NY state tax from your benefits, but you'll also need to file a PA tax return next year as a resident. So you might end up dealing with tax returns in two states. Just something to plan for.
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Anthony Young
•Ugh, I didn't even think about the tax situation. That sounds complicated. Did you use an accountant to help with filing in two states?
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Jeremiah Brown
•Yeah I used TurboTax and it handled the multi-state situation pretty well. Just keep really good records of exactly when you moved because that determines how much of your income is allocated to each state. PA has lower income tax than NY so it actually worked out slightly in my favor!
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Royal_GM_Mark
make sure you also notify USPS for mail forwarding! my friend moved to delaware and missed important unemployment documents because they were sent to her old address
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Matthew Sanchez
I wonder if PA unemployment pays more than NY?? Might be worth checking if you qualify in both states and picking the better one. Thats what my cousin did when he moved.
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Admin_Masters
•That's not quite accurate. You can't just choose which state to claim from. You must file in the state where you worked and earned qualifying wages. If you worked in both NY and PA during your base period, you could potentially file an interstate claim, but you can't just pick the state with higher benefits. Additionally, if you didn't work in PA at all, you wouldn't qualify for PA benefits regardless of your current residence.
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Anthony Young
Thanks everyone for all the helpful information! To summarize what I've learned: 1. I'll continue my NY unemployment claim after moving to PA 2. Need to update my address in the NY.gov system 3. Continue certifying weekly and meeting NY work search requirements 4. Make a note during certification about my move 5. Keep detailed records of work searches (minimum 3 per week) 6. Be prepared for tax complications next year 7. Set up mail forwarding with USPS This community is amazing! I was so stressed about this and now I feel much better prepared for my move. I'll update my address as soon as I have my new place secured.
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Admin_Masters
•That's a perfect summary! Good luck with your move to Pennsylvania.
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Charlotte White
•good luck on the move. PA is way cheaper than NY youll like it there
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Khalid Howes
Just wanted to add one more thing that helped me when I moved from NY to NJ last year - screenshot or print out your weekly certification pages before submitting them! The NY system can be glitchy sometimes and having proof of what you submitted and when really saved me during an audit. Also, if you're driving to PA, keep receipts for any job interviews or work-related trips back to NY since those can be deductible expenses. The move itself is stressful enough without worrying about benefits, so having good documentation gives you peace of mind!
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Giovanni Mancini
•Great point about documenting everything! I hadn't thought about screenshotting the certification pages - that's really smart. Quick question though - do you know if there's a specific form or process for deducting those job interview travel expenses, or do you just keep the receipts and mention it when filing taxes? I might have some interviews lined up back in NYC even after I move to PA.
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