Can I collect unemployment if I'm taking care of a family member in NY?
My elderly mother had a stroke two months ago and I had to quit my job at the hospital to take care of her full time. She needs constant supervision and can't be left alone. I'm wondering if I can still file for unemployment benefits through NYS Department of Labor since I didn't quit voluntarily for personal reasons? I've been working for 8 years straight before this happened. Has anyone been in a similar situation with caregiving responsibilities?
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Chloe Taylor
Unfortunately, quitting to care for a family member typically doesn't qualify you for regular unemployment benefits in NY. NYS Department of Labor requires that you be available and actively seeking work, which caregiving responsibilities would prevent. However, you might want to look into other programs like Family Medical Leave Act or disability benefits if your own health has been affected by the stress.
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Omar Hassan
AuthorThat's what I was afraid of. Are there any exceptions at all? Like if the family member is disabled or something?
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ShadowHunter
wait i thought there were special rules for family caregivers? my cousin had to take care of her dad and got something
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Chloe Taylor
You might be thinking of Paid Family Leave, which is different from unemployment insurance. PFL is for bonding with new children or caring for seriously ill family members, but you need to be employed when you apply for it.
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Diego Ramirez
I had a nightmare trying to get through to NYS Department of Labor about this exact question last year. Spent weeks calling and either got busy signals or was on hold for hours. Finally used Claimyr.com to get connected to an agent who explained all the requirements. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Saved me so much frustration dealing with the phone system.
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Omar Hassan
AuthorThanks, I'll check that out. Did the agent give you any helpful alternatives since unemployment wasn't an option?
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Diego Ramirez
Yes, they referred me to the county social services office for caregiver support programs and also mentioned looking into whether my situation qualified for any state assistance programs.
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Anastasia Sokolov
The system is so messed up - they expect people to just abandon their sick family members to keep getting benefits. What kind of society punishes people for doing the right thing??
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Sean O'Connor
I totally understand the frustration but unemployment insurance is specifically for people who lose jobs through no fault of their own AND are able to work. It's not designed to be a general safety net for all life situations.
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Zara Ahmed
You should definitely call and ask anyway - sometimes there are special circumstances they consider. Also look into whether your employer offered any leave options before you quit.
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Malik Robinson
I'm really sorry to hear about your mother's stroke, Omar. This is such a difficult situation to navigate. While others are right that traditional unemployment benefits typically don't apply when you voluntarily quit for caregiving, I'd encourage you to explore a few other options: 1) Contact your local Area Agency on Aging - they often have caregiver support programs and resources you might not know about, 2) Look into whether you qualify for any state disability benefits if the stress has affected your own health, 3) Check if your former employer has any rehire policies that might help you return to work part-time with flexible scheduling once you get more support systems in place. Also, don't give up on calling NYS DOL - sometimes different representatives have different knowledge about edge cases and exceptions. Wishing you and your mother all the best during this challenging time.
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