Can I collect unemployment and retirement at the same time in New York?

Yes, you can generally collect both unemployment and retirement benefits in New York, but there are some important considerations. The NYS Department of Labor will reduce your weekly unemployment benefit by the amount of any pension you receive if your employer contributed to that pension. If it's entirely your own contributions, it shouldn't affect your UI benefits. You'll need to report the pension income when you file your weekly claims.

my dad went through this exact thing last year. he was getting like $180 a week in pension and they reduced his unemployment by that same amount so he basically got nothing from NYS Department of Labor

The reduction depends on how much your employer contributed versus your own contributions. When you file your initial claim, the NYS Department of Labor will ask for documentation about your pension. They'll calculate the weekly reduction based on the employer contribution portion only. If you can't reach them by phone to clarify (their lines are always busy), I used a service called Claimyr that actually got me through to an agent. Check out claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works.

This whole system is so confusing! Why should it matter if you worked your whole life and earned both benefits? The government takes enough in taxes already and then they want to penalize you for having a pension too. Makes no sense.

Just make sure you're honest about the pension when you file your weekly claims. Don't try to hide it because NYS Department of Labor will find out eventually and then you'll have an overpayment issue to deal with. That's way worse than just having your benefits reduced.

I went through this same situation about 3 years ago when I was 62 and got laid off from the hospital where I worked. You definitely can collect both, but like others mentioned, they will reduce your unemployment by the employer contribution portion of your pension. In my case, my pension was about $220/week and my unemployment would have been $350/week, so I ended up getting around $130/week from unemployment. It's not ideal, but every little bit helps when you're job hunting. The key thing is to have all your pension documentation ready when you file - they'll want to know the exact breakdown of employer vs employee contributions. Also, don't let the reduced amount discourage you from filing - you're still entitled to those benefits and you never know how long your job search might take.

I'm in a similar situation right now - 63 and recently laid off after 22 years with the same company. I haven't started my pension yet but was planning to next month. Reading through everyone's experiences here is really eye-opening. It sounds like the key is getting all your pension documentation together before you file and being completely transparent about everything. Even if the unemployment gets reduced, it's still money coming in while you're looking for work. Has anyone had luck finding employment in their 60s after being laid off? I'm wondering if I should focus more on the job search or just plan on the reduced benefits until I can find something.

I was in almost the exact same situation two years ago - 65, laid off after 20 years, and eligible for my pension. The NYS Department of Labor process was actually pretty straightforward once I had all my paperwork together. They'll ask you to provide documentation showing the breakdown of employer vs employee contributions to your pension. In my case, about 60% was employer-funded, so they reduced my weekly unemployment benefit by 60% of my weekly pension amount. It took about 3-4 weeks to get the pension documentation reviewed and my benefits adjusted. One tip - when you call to follow up (and you will need to call), try early morning around 8 AM or late afternoon after 3 PM when the lines are less busy. Also keep copies of everything you submit because they sometimes "lose" documentation. The reduced benefit isn't great, but it's still something to help bridge the gap while you're job searching.

I went through something very similar last year at age 63. One thing I want to add that hasn't been mentioned yet - when you file your initial unemployment claim online, there's a specific section where they ask about pensions and retirement benefits. Don't skip over it or put "none" if you're planning to start your pension soon, even if you haven't started receiving it yet. I made that mistake initially and had to go through a whole appeals process to get it sorted out. Also, if your pension has a lump sum option versus monthly payments, that can affect how NYS Department of Labor calculates the offset. Monthly payments are easier for them to work with. The whole process took me about 6 weeks total from filing to getting my first reduced benefit payment, but having all my HR paperwork from my former employer ready made a big difference. Don't let the reduction discourage you from filing - I ended up collecting for about 8 months while job searching and it really helped cover my basic expenses.

I'm 61 and facing a similar situation - my company just announced layoffs for next month and I've been there 15 years. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly helpful and honestly a bit of a relief to know this is possible, even if the benefits get reduced. One question I haven't seen addressed yet - does it matter what type of pension you have? Mine is a 401k with employer matching rather than a traditional pension plan. I'm wondering if NYS Department of Labor treats those differently when calculating the offset. Also, for those who went through this process, did you find it better to start the pension first and then file for unemployment, or file for unemployment first? I'm trying to figure out the best timing to avoid any gaps in income. Thanks to everyone who's shared their stories - it's really helping me prepare for what's ahead.

I'm actually going through this exact situation right now at 65 - just filed for unemployment last week after being laid off and I'm starting my pension next month. The whole process has been pretty overwhelming, but reading everyone's experiences here is giving me hope that it's manageable. One thing I wanted to add is that when you gather your pension documentation, make sure to get a letter from your HR department that specifically breaks down the employer versus employee contribution percentages. NYS Department of Labor told me this would speed up the review process significantly. I'm still waiting for my initial determination, but my former HR manager was really helpful in getting me all the right paperwork. For anyone else in this boat - don't be afraid to ask your former employer's HR department for help with the documentation. Most of them have dealt with this before and know exactly what NYS Department of Labor needs. It's stressful being unemployed at our age, but at least we have these benefits available to help bridge the gap.

I'm 58 and while I'm not in this exact situation yet, I'm trying to plan ahead since my company has been talking about potential restructuring. This thread has been incredibly informative - thank you to everyone who shared their real experiences! One thing I'm curious about that I haven't seen mentioned: if you're collecting both unemployment and pension, does that affect your ability to contribute to an IRA or does it count as earned income for tax purposes? I know unemployment is taxable, but I'm not sure how the combination works. Also, for those who successfully found new jobs while collecting both benefits, did you have to immediately stop the unemployment when you started working, or is there a grace period? I want to make sure I understand all the implications before I potentially face this situation myself.

I'm 62 and currently employed but watching this discussion closely since my industry has been going through layoffs. This has been such an educational thread! One thing I wanted to ask - for those who went through the process, did NYS Department of Labor require you to actively job search while collecting both unemployment and pension benefits? I know there are usually work search requirements for unemployment, but I'm wondering if having pension income affects those requirements at all. Also, did anyone run into issues with potential employers during interviews when they knew you were collecting pension? I'm concerned that some employers might assume you're not serious about working long-term if you're already receiving retirement benefits. It's great to see so many people sharing their real experiences here - it's making me feel much more prepared for what could be ahead.

I'm 66 and went through this exact situation 18 months ago after being laid off from my accounting job of 25 years. The process was definitely confusing at first, but it's absolutely doable. A few things I learned that might help others: First, when you file your initial claim, NYS Department of Labor will send you a pension questionnaire (form IA 12.3) that you'll need to complete and return with documentation. Don't delay on this - it held up my benefits for an extra two weeks because I waited too long to send it back. Second, they calculate the reduction based on a weekly amount, so if you receive your pension monthly, they'll divide it by 4.33 to get the weekly figure. Third, even though my unemployment got reduced from $380 to $125 per week due to my pension, I was still eligible for the maximum 26 weeks of benefits. The reduced amount still helped significantly with my mortgage and utilities while I job searched. I eventually found part-time consulting work that worked perfectly with my semi-retirement goals. Don't let the reduction discourage you from filing - every bit helps during a job transition at our age!

I'm 63 and just got notice that my position will be eliminated in 6 weeks after 19 years with my current employer. This entire discussion has been incredibly valuable - thank you to everyone who shared their experiences! I'm eligible for my pension immediately and was planning to file for unemployment as well. Based on what I've read here, it sounds like the key steps are: 1) Get detailed documentation from HR showing employer vs employee pension contributions before I leave, 2) Be completely transparent on the initial unemployment filing about my pension plans, 3) Expect a 3-4 week delay while they review pension documentation, and 4) Be prepared for my unemployment to be reduced by the employer-contributed portion of my pension. Even with the reduction, having some income while job searching seems worth it. Has anyone dealt with this situation when you have advance notice of the layoff? I'm wondering if I should start gathering pension paperwork now or wait until after my last day of work to begin the process.