NYS Department of Labor standby status while changing jobs - how does this work?
I'm really confused about something and hoping someone here can help. My company is restructuring and they're moving me to a different position in 6 weeks, but there's going to be a 2-week gap between when my current role ends and the new one starts. HR mentioned something about 'standby unemployment' but I have no idea what that means or how to apply for it through NYS Department of Labor. Do I need to file a regular unemployment claim or is there a special process for people who are just temporarily between positions at the same company? I don't want to mess this up and end up with no income during those two weeks.
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Landon Morgan
Standby status is different from regular unemployment benefits. You'll need to file through the standard NYS Department of Labor system, but your employer has to provide specific documentation that you'll be returning to work on a set date. The key is that your employer must confirm in writing that this is temporary and you have a definite return date.
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Ellie Perry
•Thank you! Do you know if I need to do the weekly job search requirements during standby, or is that waived since I already have a job to return to?
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Teresa Boyd
been through this exact situation last year when my department was being reorganized... the job search requirement IS waived for standby but you still have to file your weekly claims and certify that you're ready to return when called back
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Lourdes Fox
Wait, I thought standby was only for seasonal workers? This sounds more like a temporary layoff situation to me.
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Landon Morgan
•Standby can apply to any situation where there's a temporary separation with a definite return date. It's not just seasonal work - restructuring, plant maintenance shutdowns, temporary furloughs all qualify if the employer provides proper documentation.
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Bruno Simmons
If you're having trouble getting through to NYS Department of Labor to ask about this, I recently discovered claimyr.com - they help you actually reach an agent by phone. There's a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Saved me hours of calling and getting disconnected when I needed to verify my own standby status.
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Ellie Perry
•That's really helpful, thanks! I was dreading trying to call them directly since I always hear horror stories about wait times.
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Aileen Rodriguez
Make sure your employer fills out the standby paperwork correctly!! My company messed up the dates on mine and it caused a whole mess with my claim being put into adjudication. Took 3 weeks to sort out.
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Daniel Rivera
I went through something similar during a company merger last year. One thing to watch out for - make sure you understand exactly when your benefits week starts and ends. I made the mistake of not filing immediately when my separation began because I thought I had to wait, and it delayed my first payment. Also, keep all the documentation your HR gives you about the standby status - you might need to upload it to your online account or fax it to the department. The whole process was actually smoother than I expected once I got the paperwork right.
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Romeo Barrett
•This is really useful advice! I'm curious about the timing - did you file your claim on the exact day your current position ended, or should I file it earlier? Also, when you mention uploading documentation, was that through the regular NYS DOL website or did they give you a special portal for standby cases?
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