NYS Department of Labor unemployment claim - can I get unemployment if I move to another city?
I might have to relocate for family reasons from Rochester to Buffalo next month and I'm wondering if this will affect my unemployment benefits. I've been collecting UI for about 6 weeks now and everything has been going smoothly with my weekly claims. Will moving within New York state mess up my claim? Do I need to notify NYS Department of Labor before I move or can I just update my address online? Really stressed about this because I can't afford to lose my benefits right now.
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Andre Laurent
You should be fine moving within New York state! Just make sure to update your address in your my.ny.gov account as soon as you move. The key thing is that you're still available for work in your new location and meeting the job search requirements. You'll need to adjust your job search to focus on opportunities in the Buffalo area once you relocate.
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MidnightRider
•Thanks that's a relief! Do I need to change anything about my job search log or just start looking for work in Buffalo instead of Rochester?
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Zoe Papadopoulos
I moved from Albany to Syracuse last year while on unemployment and had zero issues. Just updated my address online and kept filing my weekly claims normally. The NYS Department of Labor doesn't care where in the state you live as long as you're actively looking for work.
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Jamal Washington
Wait what if you move out of state though?? I'm thinking about moving to Pennsylvania to live with my sister but I don't want to lose my benefits. Does anyone know if that's different?
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Andre Laurent
•Moving out of state is more complicated. You'd need to look into interstate benefit claims, but that's a different process entirely. For within NY moves like the original poster, it's much simpler.
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Mei Wong
The unemployment system is so confusing with all these rules! I've been trying to get through to someone at NYS Department of Labor for weeks about a different issue and can never reach anyone. If you need to talk to someone about your move situation, I found this service called Claimyr that actually got me connected to an agent. Check out claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Saved me hours of trying to call.
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Liam Fitzgerald
•Is that legit? I'm always skeptical of services that claim they can get you through to government agencies.
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Mei Wong
•I was skeptical too but it actually worked for me. They basically automate the calling process so you don't have to sit there hitting redial all day.
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PixelWarrior
Just to add - make sure you update your address BEFORE you miss any weekly claims. I forgot to update mine when I moved and it caused a delay in my payments because they couldn't verify my address. The online system is pretty easy to use though, just log into your account and go to the contact information section.
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Amara Adebayo
Good luck with your move! Buffalo is a nice city. At least unemployment stuff is one less thing to worry about during a relocation.
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Yara Abboud
I went through something similar when I had to move from Syracuse to Long Island for family reasons while collecting unemployment. The process was actually pretty straightforward - you just need to update your address in the online system and make sure you're still actively job searching in your new area. One thing to keep in mind is that Buffalo might have different job opportunities than Rochester, so you'll want to familiarize yourself with the local job market before you move. Also, make sure all your contact information is current because sometimes they send important notices by mail. The move itself won't disrupt your benefits as long as you stay in New York and keep meeting all the requirements!
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