What to do when you get a job on unemployment - NYS Department of Labor notification process
I just accepted a job offer and I'm supposed to start next Monday but I'm still collecting unemployment benefits. I've been filing my weekly claims regularly and my last certification was approved. Do I need to notify NYS Department of Labor immediately or can I wait until my next weekly claim? I'm worried about creating an overpayment situation if I don't handle this correctly. The job is full-time so I definitely won't be eligible for partial benefits anymore.
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Louisa Ramirez
You need to report this on your next weekly claim filing. When you certify your weekly claim, there's a question about returning to work - answer that honestly with your start date. NYS Department of Labor will automatically stop your benefits from that date forward. Don't skip filing that week's claim just because you got a job, you still need to report it through the system.
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Marilyn Dixon
•Thanks! So I should still file this week even though I'm starting work Monday? I was confused about whether to file or not.
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TommyKapitz
yeah definitely report it right away! i made the mistake of not reporting when i went back to work and ended up with a $2800 overpayment notice months later. the nys department of labor found out through wage matching and it was a nightmare to deal with
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Marilyn Dixon
•Oh wow that sounds terrible! How did they find out if you don't mind me asking?
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TommyKapitz
•they cross reference your social security number with employer wage reports. so even if you dont tell them theyll eventually figure it out when your new employer starts reporting your wages to the state
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Angel Campbell
The key thing is to be accurate on your weekly certification. You'll answer 'yes' to returning to work and provide the exact start date. NYS Department of Labor's system will handle stopping your claim automatically. If you've already been paid for a week you worked, you might need to repay that week, but it's much easier to handle if you report it promptly rather than having them discover it later through wage matching.
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Payton Black
I had trouble reaching someone at NYS Department of Labor when I had questions about this exact situation. Calling their main number was impossible - kept getting busy signals or disconnected after waiting on hold. I ended up using this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that actually got me through to a real person at the unemployment office. They have a video demo showing how it works: https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI. The agent was able to walk me through exactly what to put on my weekly claim when I went back to work.
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Marilyn Dixon
•That's really helpful! I was dreading trying to call them. Did it cost a lot to use that service?
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Payton Black
•It was worth it for me since I couldn't get through any other way and needed to make sure I did everything correctly to avoid problems later.
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Harold Oh
Congrats on the new job! Just want to add that if for some reason the job doesn't work out during your first week or two, you can potentially reopen your unemployment claim. But definitely report the job first - it's always better to be upfront with NYS Department of Labor about employment changes.
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Amun-Ra Azra
ugh the whole system is so confusing... like why cant they just make it simple and let you report job changes online without having to wait for the weekly claim? seems like it would prevent so many overpayment issues
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Louisa Ramirez
•The weekly claim system is actually the way to report employment changes online. It's designed to capture all your work activity for that week, including when you return to full-time work.
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Omar Hassan
Just to echo what others have said - definitely file your weekly claim this week and report your return to work date accurately. I went through this same situation last year and was nervous about it too, but the system handled it smoothly once I reported it properly. The important thing is that you're being proactive about it now rather than trying to figure it out after the fact. Good luck with your new job!
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