Can I get NYS Department of Labor unemployment benefits after my disability claim ended?
My long-term disability payments just ended last month and I'm trying to figure out if I can apply for unemployment benefits through NYS Department of Labor. I was on disability for about 18 months due to a back injury but my doctor cleared me to return to work. Problem is my old job was eliminated while I was out and now I'm job hunting. I heard conflicting info about whether you can get unemployment after disability - some people say yes, others say no. Has anyone been in this situation? What do I need to show NYS Department of Labor to prove I'm able and available for work now?
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Charlie Yang
Yes, you can absolutely apply for unemployment benefits after disability ends, but you'll need to prove you're now able and available for work. NYS Department of Labor will require medical clearance documentation and you'll need to register for work search. The key is showing you're ready, willing, and able to accept suitable employment immediately.
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Olivia Martinez
•Thanks! Do I need to bring the medical clearance letter when I file or can I upload it online through the my.ny.gov portal?
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Grace Patel
I went through this exact same thing 2 years ago. Was on disability for nerve damage in my arm, then got cleared to work but my company had downsized. NYS Department of Labor approved my claim but it took about 3 weeks because they had to verify I was no longer receiving disability payments and that I was medically cleared.
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Olivia Martinez
•Did they ask for a lot of documentation? I'm worried about the process being complicated since I was out of work for so long.
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Grace Patel
•Not too bad - just needed the doctor's clearance letter, proof that disability ended, and had to do the usual job search stuff. Make sure you register on the NYS job bank right away.
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ApolloJackson
Getting through to NYS Department of Labor to ask questions about transitioning from disability to unemployment can be frustrating with their phone lines always busy. I used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get connected to an actual agent when I had a similar situation. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Really helped me get clarity on my eligibility requirements.
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Isabella Russo
•Never heard of that but might be worth trying. I've been calling NYS Department of Labor for days and keep getting the busy signal or getting disconnected after waiting forever.
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Rajiv Kumar
wait i thought you cant get unemployment if you were getting disability?? this is confusing
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Charlie Yang
•You can't get both at the same time, but once disability ends and you're medically cleared to work, you can apply for unemployment benefits if you're otherwise eligible.
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Aria Washington
The transition period can be tricky timing-wise. Make sure there's no overlap between your last disability payment and when you start receiving unemployment. NYS Department of Labor is very strict about this and any overlap could create an overpayment situation you'd have to pay back.
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