Notifying NY Unemployment about 1-week international travel - Do I need to speak to someone?

I found a way to solve NY unemployment travel reporting issues, watch this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZCnbcb-omY

Ugh, the ny unemployment system is such a maze 🤦‍♂️ I had to deal with this last month. Honestly, good luck getting through to an actual person on that number. I spent hours trying.

Hey, I found a method that actually works to get someone on the phone. I used this site called claimyr.com. It's a calling tool that dials through the phone menu, stays on hold, waits for a live agent to pick up, then sends the call to your phone. It does cost $20, but it works. Here's a video about it: https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE

From my experience, sending a secure message is your best bet. They usually respond within a few days. Just make sure to include all the details about your trip.

Yo, I'm in the same boat ⛵ (literally lol, going on a cruise next month). Following this thread for answers!

Listen up, folks. I've been through this rodeo before. Here's what you need to do: • First, definitely try to speak with a real person. The automated system doesn't cover all scenarios. • If you can't get through (which is likely), send a secure message through your online account. Be super specific: - Mention your travel dates - Explain it's a temporary trip - State that you'll be available for work upon return • DO NOT certify for benefits while you're out of the country. It's against the rules and could get you in trouble. • If possible, try to schedule your trip between certification weeks. This can minimize complications. • Keep all your travel documents in case they ask for proof later. • When you return, you might need to call again to reactivate your claim. Remember, rules can change, so always double-check the latest info on the NY unemployment website. Oh, and pro tip: if you're struggling to get through on the phone, try using Claimyr. It's a bit pricey, but it's saved my bacon more than once when I needed to actually talk to someone.

smh why does everything with ny unemployment gotta be so complicated 🙄 its like they WANT us to mess up

Has anyone actually gotten in trouble for not reporting a short trip? Asking for a friend... 👀

I swear, dealing with ny unemployment is harder than finding a new job sometimes 😂😭

Quick question: does anyone know if this applies to trips to other states too, or just international travel?

Hey Sean! I went through this exact situation a few months ago. The automated message you got is pretty standard - they basically just tell you not to certify while abroad. From my experience, you don't necessarily need to talk to a live person if it's just a week-long trip and you're being proactive about it. I ended up sending a secure message through my online account with all the details (travel dates, destination, confirmation I wouldn't certify during that time) and they responded acknowledging it. Just make sure to be super clear about your dates and that you understand you can't certify while out of the country. The key thing is documentation - keep records that you notified them beforehand. That way if any issues come up later, you have proof you followed proper procedure. Safe travels! 🛫

I'm actually dealing with this exact same situation right now! Planning a trip to visit family overseas and was stressing about the whole notification process. Really appreciate everyone's advice here, especially @Andre Dupont's detailed breakdown - that's super helpful! I think I'm going to try the secure message route first since it seems like getting through by phone is such a nightmare. Better to have that paper trail anyway. Thanks for sharing your experience @Sean Doyle - good to know I'm not the only one confused by that automated message!

Just went through this same process last month! I was also confused by that automated message at first. Here's what worked for me: I sent a secure message through my NY unemployment account explaining my travel dates and got a response within 3 business days confirming they received my notification. The key things to include in your message: - Exact travel dates (departure and return) - Confirmation that you understand you can't certify while abroad - That you'll be available for work immediately upon return I also saved screenshots of the secure message thread just in case. Way less stressful than trying to get through on that phone line! Hope this helps and enjoy your trip! ✈️

Thanks for posting this @Sean Doyle! I'm actually planning a trip to Canada next month and was wondering the same thing. Based on everyone's responses, it sounds like the secure message route is definitely the way to go - way more reliable than trying to get through on that phone line. @Rajan Walker and @Aisha Abdullah, your experiences are super reassuring! I was worried they might not respond to secure messages in time, but 3 business days is totally reasonable. Going to follow your advice about including all those specific details and keeping screenshots for my records. It's honestly ridiculous how confusing they make this process, but at least we can help each other figure it out! 💪

Just wanted to add my two cents here! I went through this exact same thing earlier this year when I had to travel to Europe for a family emergency. The automated message is definitely confusing - I thought I was doing something wrong at first too! I ended up doing both - sent a secure message AND kept trying the phone line. The secure message got responded to in about 4 days with a standard acknowledgment. But honestly, calling early morning (like 8:05 AM sharp) actually worked for me after a few tries. The rep confirmed that the secure message was sufficient for documentation. One thing I learned: if your trip crosses over two certification weeks, make sure to mention that in your notification. They need to know the full scope so there's no confusion later. Also keep your boarding passes/travel receipts just in case they ever ask for proof. The whole system is unnecessarily complicated, but at least if you document everything properly upfront, you should be fine. Better to over-communicate than under-communicate with these folks!

This thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm planning a trip to Mexico in a few weeks and was totally lost on the proper procedure. Based on everyone's experiences, I'm definitely going with the secure message approach - seems way more reliable than phone roulette 🎲 @Liam O'Reilly your point about keeping boarding passes is clutch! I never would have thought about that. And @Andre Dupont thanks for that comprehensive breakdown earlier - saved me so much research time. One quick question though: has anyone dealt with this during a holiday week? I'm wondering if their response times get delayed around holidays or if I should plan extra buffer time for the secure message response. Don't want to cut it too close with my departure date! Really appreciate this community having each other's backs on this confusing stuff 🙏

This is such a timely thread for me! I'm literally dealing with this exact situation right now - planning a trip to visit family in Ireland next month and was completely stumped by that automated message. It's so reassuring to see I'm not the only one who found it confusing! Based on everyone's experiences here, I'm definitely going the secure message route. @Rajan Walker and @Liam O'Reilly, thank you for those specific details about what to include - that's exactly what I needed to know. The tip about keeping boarding passes and travel receipts is brilliant too. @Charlotte Jones, great point about holiday timing! I'll make sure to submit my message well in advance since my trip is around St. Patrick's Day (seemed fitting for Ireland 😄). It's honestly frustrating how unnecessarily complicated they make this process, but this community is amazing for helping each other navigate it. Thanks @Sean Doyle for starting this thread - you've helped way more people than just yourself!

This thread is exactly what I needed! I'm planning a wedding in the Dominican Republic next month and was completely stressed about how to handle the unemployment notification properly. That automated message really is confusing - it doesn't give you any clear next steps at all. Based on everyone's advice here, I'm definitely going with the secure message route. @Rajan Walker and @Liam O'Reilly, your detailed breakdowns of what to include are perfect - I was wondering exactly what information they needed. And @Molly Chambers, thanks for the heads up about holiday delays! I'll make sure to submit mine well before my departure. It's amazing how this community comes together to help each other navigate these bureaucratic mazes. @Sean Doyle, thank you for starting this discussion - you've helped so many people! The fact that we all had the same confusion with that automated message just shows how poorly designed their system is 🤦‍♀️ Going to send my secure message this week and keep all my travel docs like everyone suggested. Fingers crossed for a smooth process! ✈️💒

I'm actually going through this exact same situation right now! Planning a trip to visit my sister in Germany next month and was totally confused by that automated message too. It's such a relief to find this thread - I thought I was missing something obvious! Based on everyone's experiences here, the secure message approach definitely seems like the way to go. @Rajan Walker and @Liam O'Reilly, thank you so much for breaking down exactly what to include in the message - those specific bullet points are super helpful! And @Molly Chambers, great tip about the holiday delays. I'll make sure to submit mine early since my trip might overlap with some holidays. @Millie Long, congratulations on your wedding! 🎊 Dominican Republic sounds absolutely gorgeous for a destination wedding. It's honestly ridiculous how confusing they make something as simple as "I'm going on vacation" but at least we can help each other figure it out. This community is amazing! Going to send my secure message this week and keep all my documentation like everyone suggested. Thanks @Sean Doyle for starting this thread - you've helped way more people than you probably realize! ✈️

This thread is a goldmine! I'm dealing with this exact same situation - planning a trip to Thailand next month and got that same confusing automated message when I called. I was starting to think I was doing something wrong! Based on everyone's experiences here, I'm definitely going the secure message route. @Rajan Walker @Liam O'Reilly and @Andre Dupont - your detailed breakdowns are incredibly helpful! I love how specific you were about what to include in the message. The tip about keeping boarding passes and travel receipts is something I never would have thought of. @Molly Chambers thanks for the heads up about holiday delays - I'll make sure to submit mine early since my trip might be around some Thai holidays too. It's honestly mind-boggling how they make something as simple as "I'm traveling for a week" into such a bureaucratic nightmare. But this community is amazing for helping each other navigate it! @Sean Doyle thanks for starting this thread - you've created such a valuable resource for people dealing with this exact situation. Going to draft my secure message tonight with all the details everyone mentioned. Fingers crossed for a smooth process! 🙏🇹🇭

Just wanted to add another success story to this thread! I actually went through this process a few weeks ago for a trip to Costa Rica and the secure message route worked perfectly. Got a response in 2 business days confirming they received my notification. One thing I'd add to everyone's great advice: I also mentioned in my secure message that I had alternate contact methods available (like WhatsApp) in case they needed to reach me urgently while abroad. They didn't end up needing it, but I think it showed I was being proactive about staying reachable if needed. @Sean Doyle hope your trip goes smoothly! And honestly, seeing how many people have had success with the secure message approach should put your mind at ease. Way better than trying to navigate that phone system maze! 🌴✈️

This thread has been absolutely incredible! I'm actually dealing with this exact same situation right now - planning a trip to visit family in Japan next month and was completely lost after getting that same confusing automated message. It's such a relief to know I'm not the only one who found it totally unhelpful! Based on everyone's experiences here, I'm definitely going with the secure message approach. @Rajan Walker @Liam O'Reilly and @Andre Dupont - thank you so much for those detailed breakdowns of what to include! The specific bullet points are exactly what I needed. And @Jasmine Quinn, that tip about mentioning alternate contact methods is brilliant - I never would have thought of that but it shows great initiative. @Molly Chambers thanks for the heads up about holiday delays during busy periods. I'll make sure to submit mine well in advance since my trip might overlap with some Japanese holidays too. It's honestly frustrating how they make something as straightforward as "I'm going on vacation" into such a bureaucratic puzzle, but this community is amazing for helping each other figure it out! @Sean Doyle thanks for starting this thread - you've created such a valuable resource that's helping way more people than just yourself. Going to send my secure message this week with all the details everyone mentioned and keep all my travel documentation. Here's hoping for a smooth process! 🙏✈️🗾