My husband was hired for a job in July, they still never gave him a start date

If he was already part time with the church maybe he can collect unemployment benefits? He would admit that he quit his other job. He can not claim that he was fired. That would clearly be dishonest and disqualifying. He would be denied because he quit but he would quickly appeal and throw the dishonest church under the bus. The church is the entity which lied to him and in New York State the dishonest usually pay.  His benefits will likely be reduced by his part time earnings but he left a good job earning more money and the church should compensate for their lies. Did they also lie to him claiming that he would earn more money than he earned on his last full time job? With proof he might be able to sue under theories of tortious interference with prospective future employment, detrimental reliance or outright fraud but the church may react as it did when he insisted on his promised position and they apparently did not care. An honestly filed unemployment claim is probably his best bet. I am sorry to hear about this but there are many untrustworthy types who think they can lie and cheat, then hide behind religion. If they drive a car with religious emblems that speaks volumes itself. Good luck.