Can I apply for disability benefits after my NYS Department of Labor unemployment claim ends?
My unemployment benefits are running out in about 6 weeks and I've been dealing with some health issues that are making it really hard to work. I've been on UI for about 8 months now and honestly the job search requirements have been difficult because of my condition. Can I transition from unemployment to disability benefits or do I need to stop my weekly claims first? I'm worried about having a gap in income while waiting for disability approval. Has anyone gone through this process in New York?
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Steven Adams
You can apply for Social Security Disability (SSDI) while still receiving unemployment, but there's a potential conflict. UI requires you to be able and available for work, while disability benefits are for when you can't work. You should apply for SSDI as soon as possible since the approval process can take months. Some people do receive both temporarily, but you may need to pay back unemployment if disability is approved retroactively.
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Grace Durand
•So I should apply for disability now even though I'm still getting unemployment? I don't want to mess up my current benefits.
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Alice Fleming
i went through this exact situation last year. kept filing my weekly claims until my UI ran out then applied for disability. took 4 months to get approved but at least i didnt have any issues with conflicting claims
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Grace Durand
•Did you have any income during those 4 months between unemployment ending and disability starting?
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Alice Fleming
•no income for about 3 months, it was really tough. wish i had applied for disability sooner
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Hassan Khoury
I had trouble getting through to NYS Department of Labor when I needed to discuss my situation with a medical condition affecting my job search. The phone lines are always busy and I kept getting disconnected. Finally used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an actual agent who explained my options. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Really helped me understand how my health issues would affect my claim status.
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Grace Durand
•Thanks for the suggestion! I've been trying to call for weeks about this exact question.
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Victoria Stark
The NYS Department of Labor system is so confusing about this stuff!! I asked my caseworker about disability and they just said to 'look into it' but gave me no actual guidance. Meanwhile I'm struggling to meet the job search requirements because of my back problems.
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Steven Adams
•You should definitely document your medical limitations and how they affect your job search. This could be important for both your UI claim and a potential disability application.
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Benjamin Kim
Apply for SSDI immediately - don't wait. The application process is lengthy and you want to get your claim date established. You can continue UI while the disability application is pending, just be honest about your medical limitations when filing your weekly claims. If you're approved for disability retroactively, you may need to repay some unemployment benefits, but it's better than having no income at all.
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Grace Durand
•This makes sense. Should I mention my disability application to NYS Department of Labor when I file my weekly claims?
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Benjamin Kim
•You should be honest about your medical condition and limitations, but you don't necessarily need to volunteer that you've applied for disability unless specifically asked.
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