Can I get unemployment and paid family leave at the same time in NY?

Unfortunately, you cannot collect both unemployment insurance and paid family leave at the same time in New York. These are two separate programs with different eligibility requirements. Unemployment requires you to be available for work and actively seeking employment, while paid family leave is specifically for when you need to care for a family member and can't work. You'll need to choose which program fits your situation better.

yeah i tried this last year when my dad was sick and they told me no way. you gotta pick one or the other. PFL pays more anyway if you qualify for it

The key difference is that unemployment requires you to be able and available for work, which contradicts the purpose of family leave. If you're caring for your mother, you're not available for work. However, if your employer terminates you while you're on family leave (which may be illegal depending on your situation), you could potentially file for unemployment after your leave period ends. I'd suggest contacting the NYS Department of Labor to discuss your specific circumstances.

I was in a similar situation trying to get through to someone at NYS Department of Labor about this exact question. Spent hours on hold and kept getting disconnected. Finally found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get through to an actual person who could explain my options. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Really helped me understand which program would work better for my situation.

Just want to add that PFL in NY pays up to 67% of your average weekly wage, capped at 67% of the state average weekly wage. For 2025 that's around $1,131 per week maximum. You can take up to 12 weeks for bonding with a new child or caring for a family member with a serious health condition. Make sure you have the proper medical certification from your mother's doctor.

omg the system is so confusing!! why cant they just let you get both if you need the money?? dealing with all this paperwork while trying to take care of family is stressful enough

I'm sorry to hear about your mom's stroke, Amina. This is such a difficult situation to navigate. From what others have shared, you're right that you can't collect both simultaneously, but I wanted to add that you should also check if you're eligible for FMLA (Family and Medical Leave Act) through your employer. While FMLA is unpaid leave, it provides job protection for up to 12 weeks if your employer has 50+ employees and you meet the other requirements. This could give you some security about getting your job back after caring for your mother. You might be able to use PFL for the income replacement while FMLA protects your position. Definitely worth asking HR about this option alongside the PFL application.