Can I take a leave of absence and still get NY unemployment benefits?

No, you cannot get unemployment while on medical leave. Unemployment is for people who are ABLE to work but lost their job through no fault of their own. For medical issues, you need to look into NYS disability, FMLA, or possibly short term disability through your employer if they offer it.

I was in a similar situation last year. I wound up using claimyr.com to get through to someone at NY unemployment because I couldn't get a clear answer anywhere else. The agent explained that unemployment specifically requires you to be "ready, willing and able to work" - which doesn't apply for medical leave. Talking to an agent got me pointed in the right direction though! They told me exactly what forms I needed for disability instead. Worth checking them out: https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE

Unemployment is actually VERY specific about eligibility. You have to certify each week that you are ABLE to work, AVAILABLE to work, and ACTIVELY seeking work. A medical leave means you're not able to work (by definition) so you definitely won't qualify for UI benefits. Look into disability instead.

Have you talked to your HR department? They should be able to tell you about NY Paid Family Leave which might apply in your situation. It pays better than state disability. Also check if you have short term disability insurance through your job.

You might want to check out NY Paid Family Leave (PFL). Unlike disability which is for your own health issues, PFL can be used to care for family members. So technically if you have a family member who can say they're caring for you... you know what I'm saying 😉 The benefit is much higher than regular disability.

I'm gonna go against what everyone else is saying. YES you can technically get unemployment in very specific leave of absence situations - but NOT for medical reasons. The only time a LOA might qualify for UI is if your employer forced you to take an unpaid leave due to lack of work. But since yours is medical, that's a hard no.

I've been through the ny unemployment system more times than I'd like to admit, and I can tell you that you need to be very careful about how you answer the weekly certification questions. They specifically ask if you were unable to work due to illness or disability. If you say yes, you won't get paid for that week. In your case, since you have a documented medical condition and are officially on leave, applying for unemployment would likely be considered fraud. Not worth the risk of having to pay everything back with penalties. Your best options are: 1. NYS Disability (but be prepared, it pays very little) 2. Short-term disability insurance if your employer offers it 3. NY Paid Family Leave (if applicable) 4. If your condition is severe and long-term, consider Social Security Disability The system is frustrating because there's this huge gap between what unemployment pays and what disability pays. I had to call like 20 times to get someone to explain all this to me. Finally used claimyr.com which got me connected to a real person who could explain all my options. Saved me from making a mistake on my application that would have caused problems later.

The New York unemployment system is so broken. They make it impossible to know what you qualify for and even harder to actually get benefits when you need them. I've been fighting with them for months over a simple address change. Good luck with your situation 😔

Have u tried applying for disability benefits? Thats what there for! Unemployment is when ur job fires u but ur able to work.

My sister was in almost the exact same situation last year. She ended up applying for unemployment anyway and got denied (obviously). Then she applied for disability and got approved but the payments were tiny - like $170 a week. Barely covered her medications. The whole system is a joke for people with medical issues.

I'm going through something similar right now and just wanted to share what I learned from talking to a benefits counselor. You definitely can't get unemployment while on medical leave - that's clear. But here's what helped me: contact your county's social services department. They often have benefits counselors who can walk you through ALL the programs you might qualify for, not just the obvious ones. In my case, I found out about emergency assistance programs I never knew existed, plus they helped me apply for everything at once instead of doing it piecemeal. Some counties even have emergency funds for people in situations like yours while waiting for disability to kick in. Also, if you have any savings or retirement accounts, look into hardship withdrawals. Not ideal, but might bridge the gap better than trying to survive on $170/week. The whole system is set up terribly for people dealing with health issues, but there are more resources than what's immediately obvious. Hope your recovery goes well!

I went through this exact situation about 6 months ago and learned the hard way that you absolutely cannot get unemployment while on medical leave. The weekly certification explicitly asks if you're able and available to work - if you answer honestly about being on medical leave, you'll be disqualified immediately. What saved me was applying for NY Paid Family Leave AND short-term disability through my employer at the same time. A lot of people don't realize you might qualify for both depending on your situation. PFL paid about 67% of my salary for 8 weeks, which was way better than the measly state disability benefit. Also, definitely talk to your doctor about filling out the paperwork properly. The way they word your condition and limitations can make a big difference in what you qualify for. My first application got denied because my doctor didn't explain the severity clearly enough. One more tip - if your employer offers an Employee Assistance Program (EAP), use it! They connected me with a financial counselor who helped me figure out all my options, including some emergency assistance programs I never knew existed. The whole process is confusing as hell, but there are more resources available than what's obvious at first glance. Focus on getting better - the financial stress sucks but there are ways to make it work without risking unemployment fraud charges.

I'm dealing with a similar health situation right now and this thread has been incredibly helpful! Just wanted to add - if you're part of a union, definitely reach out to your union rep too. Mine helped me navigate the whole process and even knew about some additional hardship funds that weren't widely advertised. Also, while you're waiting for disability benefits to get approved (which can take forever), check if your local food banks or community organizations have emergency financial assistance programs. I found one through my church that helped with utilities while I was between programs. The income gap between unemployment and disability benefits is absolutely ridiculous - $170/week in New York is insulting. But don't let the financial stress make your health worse. There are people and programs out there to help, you just have to dig to find them. Wishing you a smooth recovery! 🙏

I'm new to dealing with NY benefits but going through something similar. Just wanted to echo what others have said - definitely can't get unemployment while on medical leave since you have to certify you're able to work each week. One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is checking if your employer participates in any voluntary disability insurance programs beyond just the basic state coverage. Some companies offer supplemental policies that pay way more than the standard $170/week. Also, if you've been paying into a flexible spending account (FSA) or health savings account (HSA), now's the time to use those funds for medical expenses to free up other money for living costs. The paperwork for all these programs is overwhelming when you're already dealing with health issues, but don't let that discourage you from applying for everything you might qualify for. Even if some programs only give you a little bit, every dollar helps bridge that gap. Good luck with your recovery - focus on getting healthy first, the money stuff will work out! 💪

I went through this exact situation about 2 years ago and learned some hard lessons. You definitely cannot get unemployment while on medical leave - the weekly certification questions will trip you up immediately since you have to confirm you're able and available to work. Here's what I wish someone had told me from the start: apply for NY State Disability AND check if your employer offers short-term disability insurance at the same time. The state disability is pathetic at $170/week, but if your company has a supplemental policy, it can pay 60-70% of your salary. Also, look into NY Paid Family Leave if you have a family member who can help care for you during recovery. It pays way better than regular disability (around 67% of salary). The key is understanding that these programs can sometimes overlap or supplement each other. One more thing - document EVERYTHING with your doctor. The way they describe your condition and limitations on the paperwork makes a huge difference in approvals and benefit amounts. My first disability application got denied because the forms weren't detailed enough. The financial stress during medical recovery is real, but don't risk unemployment fraud charges by applying for UI when you know you're not able to work. Focus on the legitimate programs designed for your situation. Wishing you a smooth recovery! 🙏

I'm dealing with something similar and this thread has been incredibly eye-opening! I had no idea there were so many different programs and that they could potentially work together. The gap between unemployment benefits and disability is absolutely crazy - $170/week in NY is basically nothing. From reading everyone's experiences, it sounds like the key is to cast a wide net and apply for multiple programs simultaneously rather than just focusing on one. I'm definitely going to check with my HR about supplemental disability insurance and look into that Paid Family Leave option too. Has anyone had luck with the appeals process if you get initially denied for disability? I'm worried about the paperwork being filled out correctly the first time since it seems like the doctor's wording makes such a huge difference in whether you get approved. Also, for those who mentioned claimyr.com - is there a similar service for the disability system or do you just have to deal with those phone lines yourself? The unemployment system seems impossible to reach, so I'm assuming disability isn't much better. Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences. It's making a stressful situation feel a lot more manageable knowing there are actual options out there!