Can you collect unemployment and a pension at the same time in NYS?
I'm 62 and was laid off from my job after 15 years. I have a small pension from a previous employer that I started collecting when I turned 60 - it's about $850 a month. Now I'm trying to file for unemployment benefits but I'm worried they'll reduce or deny my claim because of the pension. Does anyone know if NYS Department of Labor allows you to collect both? I really need the unemployment to cover my bills while I look for work.
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Isaac Wright
Yes, you can collect both in New York! The NYS Department of Labor doesn't reduce your unemployment benefits just because you're receiving a pension from a previous employer. As long as your pension isn't from the same employer that laid you off, it won't affect your weekly benefit amount. Just make sure to report it accurately when you file your initial claim.
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Yara Campbell
•That's a huge relief! The pension is definitely from a different company - my previous job from like 8 years ago. So I don't need to worry about any deductions?
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Maya Diaz
wait really?? i thought any other income reduces your unemployment benefits. my friend told me they took money off hers when she had some part time work
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Tami Morgan
•Part-time work is different than pension income. NYS Department of Labor treats them separately. Work income gets deducted from your weekly benefits, but pension income from a previous employer doesn't count as earnings that reduce your UI payments.
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Rami Samuels
I had the same situation last year when I got laid off at 59. My pension was about $600/month and NYS Department of Labor didn't touch my unemployment benefits at all. The key thing is making sure it's not from the same employer - if it was from the job you just lost, then it might be a different story. But sounds like you're in the clear!
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Yara Campbell
•Thanks for sharing your experience! That makes me feel much better about filing. Did you have any issues with the application process or was it pretty straightforward?
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Rami Samuels
•Pretty smooth actually. I just made sure to mention the pension when I filed online and they didn't even ask any follow up questions about it during the process.
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Haley Bennett
This is such good information! I'm in a similar boat - got laid off at 64 and have been putting off filing for unemployment because I wasn't sure about my pension. The NYS Department of Labor website wasn't super clear about this scenario.
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Douglas Foster
If you're having trouble getting through to NYS Department of Labor to ask questions about your specific situation, I found this service called Claimyr that helped me reach an actual agent. You can check it out at claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Really helped when I had questions about my claim that I couldn't get answered through the regular channels.
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Yara Campbell
•Interesting, I've never heard of that. How does it work exactly? I might need that if I run into issues with my application.
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Grace Johnson
•From what I understand, it's a service that helps you get connected to actual unemployment office representatives when the phone lines are busy or hard to get through. They basically handle the waiting and calling process for you. Worth checking out if you're having trouble reaching someone at NYS Department of Labor directly about your specific situation.
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Grant Vikers
Just wanted to add that when you do file your claim, make sure to have all the details about your pension ready - like the monthly amount, start date, and which employer it's from. The online application will ask about any income you're receiving, and being upfront about the pension from the start helps avoid any delays or complications later. I've seen people get their claims held up because they didn't report it initially and then had to explain it later. Good luck with your application!
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Zoe Dimitriou
•That's really helpful advice about having all the pension details ready! I just want to make sure I understand correctly - when they ask about income during the application, I should definitely mention the $850/month pension even though it won't reduce my benefits? I don't want to accidentally trigger any red flags by mentioning it, but I also don't want to get in trouble for not reporting it upfront.
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