Can I collect unemployment when I retire from my job in NY?
I'm 58 and planning to retire from my company next year after 25 years. My wife thinks I can collect unemployment benefits after I retire but I'm not so sure about that. Does anyone know if you can collect unemployment when you retire? I'm not being laid off or fired, just choosing to retire. Would love to hear from anyone who's been through this with NYS Department of Labor.
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Issac Nightingale
Unfortunately, you cannot collect unemployment benefits if you voluntarily retire. NYS Department of Labor requires that you be unemployed through no fault of your own to qualify for UI benefits. Retirement is considered a voluntary separation from employment, which makes you ineligible for benefits.
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Serene Snow
•That's what I was afraid of. My wife was convinced we could get benefits but it didn't sound right to me.
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Romeo Barrett
yeah my dad tried this when he retired at 62 and got denied right away
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Marina Hendrix
The key requirement for unemployment is that you must be able and available for work. If you're retiring, you're essentially saying you don't want to work anymore, which disqualifies you from benefits. However, if you're forced into early retirement due to layoffs or company restructuring, that's different - you might qualify in those situations.
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Justin Trejo
•What if someone retires but then decides they want to work again? Can they apply for unemployment then if they can't find a job?
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Marina Hendrix
•That's a tricky situation. You'd have to prove you're genuinely seeking employment and available for work. NYS Department of Labor would likely scrutinize that closely since you previously chose to retire.
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Alana Willis
I had so much trouble getting through to NYS Department of Labor when I had questions about my eligibility after being laid off. If you need to speak with someone directly about your specific situation, I used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get connected to an actual agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Saved me hours of trying to call.
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Tyler Murphy
The unemployment system is SO confusing! I thought retired people could get benefits too but apparently not. What's the point of paying into the system all those years if you can't use it when you need it???
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Issac Nightingale
•Unemployment insurance is specifically designed for people who lose their jobs involuntarily and are actively looking for new work. It's not a retirement benefit - that's what Social Security and pensions are for.
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Sara Unger
My neighbor went through something similar. He thought he could retire early and collect unemployment but NYS Department of Labor told him no way. He ended up having to look for part-time work instead.
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Isabella Oliveira
I'm in a similar situation - 55 and considering early retirement but definitely need some income bridge before I can access my 401k and Social Security. From what I'm reading here, it sounds like unemployment is off the table if you voluntarily retire. Has anyone looked into other options like part-time work or consulting in your field after retirement? I'm wondering if there are other state programs that might help with the transition period.
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