NYSDOL: How to notify unemployment office before traveling abroad?
Hey everyone, I need some advice. I'm going on a trip abroad for a few weeks and I need to let the unemployment office know before I leave. I heard that if I don't inform them, my payments might get suspended. Has anyone gone through this process before? What should I expect when I call them? I'm leaving tomorrow and I'm kinda freaking out because I don't want to mess up my benefits. Any tips or experiences would be really helpful!
61 comments


Tom Maxon
I found a way to solve notifying unemployment about travel, watch this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mBrEpokLIGM
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Jacinda Yu
Protip: if u cant get thru on the phone, try reaching out on social media. Sometimes they respond faster there
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Landon Flounder
•I've seen that work for others too, especially when you tag them or use the right hashtags.
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Callum Savage
idk why everyones freaking out. just call them and tell them ur travel dates. its not that deep lol
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Ally Tailer
•Easy 4 u to say. Some of us have had nightmare experiences with the unemployment office 🙄
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Callum Savage
•fair enough. guess i got lucky then 🤷♂️
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Aliyah Debovski
•It's definitely mixed experiences. Some people get lucky, while others have a harder time getting through.
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Shelby Bauman
am i the only one who thinks its kinda sus that OP is going on a trip while on unemployment? 🤔
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Roger Romero
•It's just a short trip to visit family. I'm still actively looking for work and will be available for interviews.
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Quinn Herbert
•Don't be that guy. People are allowed to have lives even when they're unemployed.
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Salim Nasir
•Agreed. As long as OP is following the rules, it's none of our business.
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Hazel Garcia
•Plus, stress relief and networking can be important parts of the job search process too!
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Charity Cohan
Pro tip: call right when they open. You'll have a better chance of getting through quickly.
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Josef Tearle
•Yup, early morning calls worked for me too. Less wait time and the agents seem to be in a slightly better mood.
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Holly Lascelles
Hey OP, hope you got through to them! Let us know how it went. And have a great trip!
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Malia Ponder
•Yes, please update us! Hope everything went smoothly for you!
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Anna Kerber
Ugh, dealing with the unemployment office is always a pain. Make sure you have your claim number and travel dates ready when you call. And be prepared to wait on hold forever 🙄
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Niko Ramsey
•For real tho. Last time I called I was on hold for like 3 hours. It's ridiculous!
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Roger Romero
•Thanks for the heads up. Guess I better clear my schedule for the day 😅
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Seraphina Delan
•You might want to try calling during non-peak hours, like right when they open. That might reduce your wait time at least a little bit.
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Maxwell St. Laurent
I found a way to actually get someone on the phone. I used this site's (claimyr.com) calling tool that dials the phone menu, stays on hold, waits for a live agent to pick up, then sends the call to my phone. It does cost $20, but it works. Here's a video about it: https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE
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PaulineW
•Sounds sketchy. Is it legit?
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Annabel Kimball
•$20 just to talk to someone? That's ridiculous. The system is so messed up.
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Maxwell St. Laurent
•It's totally legit. I was skeptical at first too, but it saved me hours of frustration. Worth every penny imo.
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Chris Elmeda
•How long did it take for them to call you back?
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Jean Claude
•Just make sure you read reviews and do a little research before trying services like this, to make sure it's the right choice for you.
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Miranda Singer
Anyone else think its wild that we have to jump through all these hoops just to get the benefits we're entitled to? The system is broken af
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Cass Green
•Louder for the people in the back! 👏👏👏
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Finley Garrett
•Fr fr. We need some serious reform.
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Madison Tipne
•Wouldn't it be great if they streamlined the process and improved their systems?
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Simon White
WHATEVER YOU DO, DON'T FORGET TO CALL THEM!!! I made that mistake once and it was a HUGE headache to get my benefits back. Learn from my fail 😭
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Hugo Kass
•And don't forget to write down the name of the person you speak with, just in case!
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Jabari-Jo
I went through this last month. It's not too bad, just make sure you're clear about your travel dates and ask if there's anything else you need to do. They might ask you to fill out a form or something.
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Roger Romero
•That's good to know. Did they give you any trouble about traveling?
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Jabari-Jo
•Nah, they were pretty chill about it. Just make sure you're not gone for too long or it might affect your eligibility.
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Kristin Frank
•Just remember to follow up in writing to confirm what was discussed during the call, just to have a paper trail.
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Laila Fury
I've been in the same boat. Just be honest with them and you'll be fine. Enjoy your trip!
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Geoff Richards
•Honesty is definitely the best policy. They tend to be more understanding when you're upfront about your situation.
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Kyle Wallace
Navigating the unemployment system can indeed be challenging, especially when you're dealing with something urgent like upcoming travel. First, it's important to contact them as soon as possible, ideally before your departure date. This gives you ample time to resolve any issues that might arise. When you call, have all your information at hand, such as your claim number and travel dates, to expedite the process. It's also recommended to ask the representative about any additional documentation required and to jot down their name for future reference. Though inconvenient, waiting on hold is often part of the process, so patience is essential. Regarding Claimyr, while it does offer a quicker way to reach a representative, it is a paid service, and opinions on whether it's worth the fee vary. Some users find it invaluable, saving them hours of waiting, while others feel that the fee is excessive. Always weigh the cost against the convenience it offers and consider reading reviews from other users to ensure it's the right choice for your situation. Finally, remember that notifying the unemployment office of your travel is crucial to maintaining your benefits. As long as you follow the rules and communicate openly with the office, you should be able to enjoy your trip without the stress of losing your benefits.
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Katherine Shultz
lol good luck getting through to anyone. The system is so broken 🤡
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Marcus Marsh
•fr fr. It's like they don't want us to get our benefits 🙄
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Hailey O'Leary
•Mood. I've been trying to reach them for weeks about a different issue. It's a nightmare.
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Cedric Chung
•y'all need to chill. sometimes you just gotta keep trying. persistence is key 💯
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Talia Klein
•It's frustrating but I've heard that reaching out through email or social media might get you a faster response.
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Micah Trail
Here's what you need to do: 1. Call them ASAP (like, today) 2. Have your claim number ready 3. Tell them your travel dates 4. Ask if there's any paperwork you need to fill out 5. Get the name of the person you talked to 6. Follow up with an email summarizing the call if possible Good luck and have a great trip!
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Roger Romero
•This is super helpful, thank you so much! I'll definitely follow these steps.
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Nia Watson
•Great advice! I'd add: make sure to ask about any restrictions on accessing your benefits while abroad. Some states have weird rules about that.
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Alberto Souchard
•And maybe check their website too, sometimes they have FAQs that can help answer questions faster than waiting on hold.
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Nasira Ibanez
Has anyone else noticed that the unemployment system seems designed to be as confusing and frustrating as possible? It's like they're trying to discourage people from claiming benefits they're entitled to. 🤬
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Khalil Urso
•Preach! 🙌 It's a full-time job just navigating the system.
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Myles Regis
•Conspiracy theory: maybe that's exactly what they want 👀
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Brian Downey
•It often feels like a test of patience for sure, but documenting everything and following up can be really helpful too.
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Hugh Intensity
Just went through this exact situation last week! Here's what worked for me: I called the main unemployment line at 8am sharp when they opened and got through in about 20 minutes (way better than the usual 2+ hour wait). The agent was actually pretty helpful - I just explained my travel dates and she noted it in my file. She said as long as I'm still available for work and continue my job search while away, it shouldn't be a problem. Make sure you have your SSN and claim number ready. Also, they might ask if you're traveling for work-related reasons, so be prepared to explain. Don't stress too much - they deal with this all the time! Safe travels! ✈️
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Ava Harris
•This is exactly what I needed to hear! Thank you for sharing your experience. The 8am tip is gold - I'll definitely try that tomorrow morning. It's reassuring to know the agent was helpful and that this is a common situation they handle. I was worried I'd get someone who would give me a hard time about traveling while on benefits. Did they mention anything about how long you could be away before it becomes an issue?
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Madison Allen
•@Hugh Intensity This is super helpful! I m'actually in a similar boat and was panicking about the whole process. The 8am calling strategy sounds like a game changer - I ve'been trying to call during lunch breaks and always get stuck in phone tree hell. Quick question: did they ask for any specific documentation about your trip, or was it just verbal confirmation of your travel dates? Also wondering if they mentioned anything about filing your weekly claims while abroad. Thanks for taking the time to share your experience!
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Natasha Petrov
I actually went through this same situation a couple months ago and it was way less stressful than I expected! Here's my advice: definitely call first thing in the morning (around 8am) like others have mentioned - the wait times are so much shorter. When I called, the representative just asked for my travel dates, confirmed I'd still be available for work/interviews via phone/video, and made a note in my file. The whole call took maybe 10 minutes once I got through. They didn't ask for any documentation, just verbal confirmation. One thing they did emphasize was making sure I continued filing my weekly claims on time even while traveling, which you can do online from anywhere. Don't panic about it - they handle travel notifications all the time and as long as you're upfront about it, you should be fine. Have a great trip!
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Yara Campbell
•This is so reassuring to hear! I was literally losing sleep over this whole situation. The fact that it only took 10 minutes once you got through and they didn't require any paperwork is amazing. I was imagining having to fill out a bunch of forms or provide proof of my travel plans. The reminder about continuing to file weekly claims online is super important too - I wouldn't have thought of that. Thanks for sharing your experience, it really puts my mind at ease! 🙏
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Dylan Mitchell
Hey Roger! I totally get the anxiety about this - I was in the exact same situation a few months ago and was convinced I was going to mess something up. But honestly, it turned out to be much simpler than I expected. Here's what I learned: call right when they open (8am is the magic hour), have your claim number and exact travel dates ready, and just be honest about everything. They asked me if I'd still be available for interviews (I said yes, via phone/video) and if I'd continue my job search while away. The whole conversation was maybe 5 minutes once I got through. The agent was actually really nice and said travel notifications are super common. One important thing - make sure you keep filing your weekly claims online while you're gone! That part tripped me up initially. You've got this, and I hope you have an amazing trip! 🌍
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Yara Sayegh
•Thanks Dylan! This is exactly the kind of reassurance I needed to hear. I've been reading horror stories online about people having their benefits suspended for months just because of miscommunication about travel, so it's really comforting to know that most experiences are actually pretty straightforward. The tip about being available for phone/video interviews is smart - I hadn't really thought about how to frame that part of the conversation. I'll definitely make sure to emphasize that I'm still actively job searching and available for remote interviews. Really appreciate you taking the time to share your experience! 😊
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Gael Robinson
I went through this exact same situation about 6 months ago! The key is definitely calling right when they open at 8am - I got through in about 15 minutes versus the usual hours-long wait. The representative was actually super understanding and just needed my travel dates and confirmation that I'd still be available for work opportunities via phone/video. They made a note in my file and that was it - no forms, no documentation needed. Just make sure you keep filing your weekly claims online while you're away (you can do it from anywhere with internet). The whole process was way less scary than I built it up to be in my head. You're doing the right thing by notifying them beforehand - have a safe trip! 🛫
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Aileen Rodriguez
•This thread has been so helpful! I'm a newcomer here and facing this exact situation next month. It's really reassuring to see so many people sharing positive experiences with the travel notification process. The 8am calling tip seems to be the golden rule everyone agrees on. @Gael Robinson thanks for mentioning the online weekly claims filing - that s'definitely something I wouldn t'have thought to ask about during the call. Quick question for everyone: has anyone had experience with international travel specifically, or have most of your trips been domestic? Just wondering if there are any additional considerations for going abroad.
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