Can you collect unemployment and social security benefits at the same time in NY?

You absolutely CAN collect both unemployment and social security at the same time in New York! This is a common misconception. The NYS Department of Labor doesn't consider social security as disqualifying income for unemployment benefits. However, you still need to meet all the other requirements - you have to be able and available for work, actively seeking employment, and meet the weekly job search requirements.

Just went through this exact situation last year when I got laid off at 64. You don't report social security on your weekly claims because it's not considered wages or work income. The NYS Department of Labor treats it as a separate benefit entirely. Make sure you're honest about your job search activities though - they're pretty strict about that part regardless of your age.

Yes, you can collect both! Social security retirement benefits don't disqualify you from unemployment in New York. When you file your weekly claim with NYS Department of Labor, you'll need to report your social security income, but it won't reduce your UI benefits dollar for dollar. The key is being able and available for work - that's the main requirement for unemployment eligibility.

Yes, you can absolutely collect both Social Security and unemployment benefits in New York. There's no federal or state law that prevents you from receiving both simultaneously. The key thing to understand is that your Social Security benefits won't be reduced because you're getting unemployment, and your unemployment benefits won't be reduced because you're getting Social Security. Just make sure when you file your weekly claims with NYS Department of Labor that you report your Social Security income accurately.

ugh this whole system is so confusing!! i'm dealing with adjudication issues right now and can't even get through to anyone at NYS Department of Labor to ask questions. been calling for weeks and either get disconnected or sit on hold forever. anyone know a better way to reach them?

my dad did this last year when he got laid off at 65, no problems at all with getting both checks

I was in the exact same situation last year when I got laid off at 64. Collected both Social Security and unemployment for about 6 months until I found a new part-time job. The NYS Department of Labor will ask about other income when you file your initial claim, so definitely mention your Social Security there. Then on your weekly claims, there's a section where you report any money you received that week - you'll put your Social Security amount there. It doesn't reduce your unemployment benefits at all, they just need to know about it for tax purposes.

My dad was in this exact situation when he got downsized at 65. He collected both for about 8 months until he found part-time work. The key thing is you still have to prove you're actively looking for work and available to work. Some employers might be hesitant to hire someone already getting social security but you can't let that stop your job search efforts.

My dad did this a few years ago and had no problems. Just be honest about everything when you file. The unemployment office knows people in their 60s often have Social Security and are still working or looking for work.

I tried calling NYS Department of Labor to ask about this exact thing but could never get through to anyone! The phone system is terrible. I ended up using this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get connected to an actual agent who answered all my questions about collecting both benefits. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Was way easier than trying to call myself and getting hung up on constantly.

yeah my neighbor does this, gets both checks every month and has for like 2 years now. no big deal as long as ur honest about it

Just want to add that if you do find work while collecting both benefits, be super careful about reporting your earnings correctly on your weekly unemployment claims. The earning limits still apply - if you earn too much in a week it can reduce or eliminate your unemployment benefit for that week. But the social security won't be affected by part-time work earnings up to a certain limit.

You report the gross social security amount before any deductions. Make sure when you're doing your weekly claims that you're still actively looking for work and documenting your job search activities. NYS Department of Labor requires 3 work search activities per week. Since you're getting social security, they might scrutinize whether you're truly available for work, so keep good records of your job applications and interviews.

I've been trying to reach someone at NYS Department of Labor for weeks about this exact question but their phone lines are always busy or I get disconnected. It's so frustrating when you need answers about something this important. Has anyone found a way to actually talk to a real person there?

Just be prepared for the NYS Department of Labor system to be confusing even when you do everything right. I'm in a similar situation and it took them 3 weeks to process my initial claim because they had to verify my social security income. Make sure you have all your documentation ready when you file.

@Diego Chavez I'm 62 and was in almost the exact same situation when I got laid off from my manufacturing job last year. You absolutely can collect both - I've been getting both my social security retirement and unemployment benefits for about 10 months now with no issues. When you file your initial unemployment claim with NYS Department of Labor, make sure to report your social security income in the "other income" section. Then on your weekly claims, you'll report the gross amount you receive each week. The social security won't reduce your unemployment benefits at all, but they need to know about it for tax reporting purposes. The most important thing is making sure you can honestly say you're able and available for work - that's what they really care about for unemployment eligibility, not whether you're getting social security.

I'm also 64 and just went through this process after being laid off from my retail job. You can definitely collect both! When I filed my initial claim with NYS Department of Labor, I was upfront about my social security income and it didn't disqualify me at all. The key thing they emphasized was that I needed to be genuinely available for work - they asked specific questions about what types of jobs I was willing to accept, my availability for different shifts, etc. I've been collecting both benefits for about 4 months now. One tip: keep really detailed records of your job search activities because they do check up on that, especially for people our age. I think they want to make sure we're not just going through the motions. The weekly claims are pretty straightforward - just report your gross social security amount and any other income honestly. Good luck with your claim!

I'm in a very similar situation - 63 and just got laid off from my office job after 12 years. I've been collecting social security for about a year now and was really worried about whether I could still file for unemployment. Reading all these responses is such a relief! It sounds like the main thing is being honest about everything and making sure you're genuinely available for work. I'm definitely going to file my claim with NYS Department of Labor this week. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - it really helps to know other people have successfully navigated this situation. @Diego Chavez hope your claim goes smoothly!

I'm 65 and went through this exact same situation about 8 months ago when my company downsized. You can absolutely collect both - there's no conflict between Social Security retirement benefits and unemployment insurance in New York. When I filed my initial claim with NYS Department of Labor, I reported my Social Security income right upfront and it didn't cause any delays or issues. The main thing they care about is whether you're genuinely able and available for work, not whether you're receiving other government benefits. On your weekly claims, you'll report your gross Social Security amount (before Medicare deductions), but it won't reduce your unemployment benefits. Just make sure you keep detailed records of your job search activities - I document every application I submit, networking events I attend, and any interviews. The NYS Department of Labor requires 3 work search activities per week regardless of your age. Don't let anyone discourage you from filing - you paid into the unemployment system through your work and you're entitled to these benefits if you meet the eligibility requirements!

I'm 63 and was in this exact situation 6 months ago when I got laid off from my construction job. You can definitely collect both! I've been receiving Social Security retirement benefits for about a year and had no problems getting approved for unemployment with NYS Department of Labor. The key things to remember: 1) Report your Social Security income honestly on both your initial application and weekly claims (use the gross amount before deductions), 2) Make sure you can genuinely say you're able and available for work - this is the most important requirement, and 3) Keep detailed records of your job search activities because they do verify this, especially for people our age. I submit my weekly claims every Sunday and report my Social Security amount in the "other income" section. It doesn't reduce my unemployment benefits at all. The hardest part was actually getting through to someone at NYS Department of Labor when I had questions, but the eligibility itself was straightforward. Don't let anyone discourage you from filing - you earned these benefits! Feel free to ask if you have any other questions about the process.

I'm 66 and went through this same situation two years ago when I was laid off from my job at a grocery store. You can absolutely collect both Social Security and unemployment benefits in New York - they're completely separate systems and one doesn't disqualify you from the other. When I filed my initial claim with NYS Department of Labor, I was completely honest about receiving Social Security retirement benefits and it didn't cause any problems at all. The key requirement is that you must be genuinely able and available for work, which means you're physically and mentally capable of working and actively seeking employment. On your weekly claims, you'll report your gross Social Security amount (the full amount before Medicare or other deductions), but this won't reduce your unemployment benefits dollar-for-dollar like work income would. Make sure to keep detailed records of your job search activities - NYS requires at least 3 work search activities per week, and they do verify this. I collected both benefits for about 7 months until I found a part-time job that worked with my schedule. Don't hesitate to file your claim - you paid into the unemployment system through years of work and you're entitled to these benefits as long as you meet the eligibility requirements!

I'm 62 and was laid off from my manufacturing job about 3 months ago. I've been collecting both Social Security retirement benefits and unemployment from NYS Department of Labor with absolutely no issues. When I filed my initial claim, I was completely upfront about my Social Security income and the representative told me it wouldn't affect my unemployment eligibility at all. The most important thing is being honest about your ability and availability to work - they asked me detailed questions about what shifts I could work, what types of jobs I was willing to consider, and my transportation situation. On my weekly claims, I report my gross Social Security amount (before Medicare deductions) in the "other income" section, but it doesn't reduce my unemployment benefits. I've been documenting every job application, networking contact, and interview in a simple spreadsheet with dates and details - NYS requires 3 work search activities per week and they do occasionally ask for verification. The hardest part honestly was just getting through their phone system when I had questions, but the actual process of collecting both benefits has been straightforward. Don't let anyone discourage you from filing - you earned these benefits through years of work!

I'm 63 and went through this exact situation about 4 months ago when I got laid off from my job at a distribution center. You absolutely can collect both Social Security retirement benefits and unemployment in New York - I've been doing it successfully since then. When I filed my initial claim with NYS Department of Labor, I was completely honest about my Social Security income and the agent told me it wouldn't disqualify me at all. The key thing they focus on is whether you're genuinely able and available for work, which means being physically capable of working and actively seeking employment. On your weekly claims, you'll report your gross Social Security amount (before Medicare or other deductions) in the "other income" section, but it won't reduce your unemployment benefits at all - they're treated as completely separate. Make sure to keep detailed documentation of your job search activities because NYS requires 3 work search activities per week and they do verify this, especially for people in our age group. I use a simple spreadsheet to track every application, networking event, and interview with dates and contact information. The hardest part was honestly getting through to someone at NYS Department of Labor when I had questions about the process, but the actual eligibility and weekly claims have been straightforward. Don't let anyone discourage you from filing - you paid into both systems through decades of work and you're entitled to these benefits as long as you meet the requirements!

I'm 67 and went through this exact situation about a year ago when my retail job was eliminated due to store closure. You can definitely collect both Social Security and unemployment benefits simultaneously in New York - I did it for about 5 months until I found part-time work that fit my needs. The key things I learned: 1) Be completely transparent about your Social Security income when filing your initial claim with NYS Department of Labor - this actually helps avoid any confusion later, 2) On weekly claims, report your gross Social Security amount (before Medicare deductions) in the "other income" section, but don't worry - it won't reduce your unemployment benefits at all, 3) The most critical requirement is demonstrating you're genuinely able and available for work - they'll ask specific questions about your availability, transportation, and what types of positions you're willing to accept. I kept a detailed log of every job application, networking contact, and interview since NYS requires 3 work search activities per week. They do verify this, especially for folks in our age group, so good documentation is essential. The biggest challenge was actually reaching someone at NYS Department of Labor when I had questions - their phone system is notoriously difficult. But once I got through the initial setup, the weekly claims process was straightforward. Don't let anyone discourage you from filing - you earned these benefits through years of contributing to both systems!

I'm 65 and was in almost this exact situation about 6 months ago when I got laid off from my job at a parts warehouse after 10 years. I'd been collecting Social Security retirement benefits for about a year and was really worried about whether I could still file for unemployment with NYS Department of Labor. I'm happy to report that you absolutely CAN collect both! When I filed my initial claim, I was completely upfront about my Social Security income and the representative assured me it wouldn't disqualify me at all. The key requirement they focus on is whether you're genuinely "able and available for work" - they asked me detailed questions about my physical ability to work, what shifts I could handle, and what types of jobs I was willing to consider. On my weekly claims, I report my gross Social Security amount (before Medicare deductions) in the "other income" section, but it doesn't reduce my unemployment benefits dollar-for-dollar like work earnings would. I've been successfully collecting both for 6 months now while actively job searching. The biggest challenge was honestly just getting through to someone at NYS Department of Labor when I had questions - their phone system is terrible. But the actual process of collecting both benefits has been straightforward. Don't hesitate to file your claim Diego - you paid into both systems through years of work and you're entitled to these benefits as long as you meet the eligibility requirements!

I'm 63 and went through this exact same situation about a year ago when I got laid off from my job at a electronics warehouse. You can absolutely collect both Social Security retirement benefits and unemployment in New York! When I filed my initial claim with NYS Department of Labor, I was completely honest about receiving Social Security and it didn't cause any issues at all. The representative actually told me this is pretty common for people in their 60s. The most important thing is that you need to genuinely be able and available for work - they'll ask you specific questions about your availability, what types of jobs you're willing to accept, and your physical ability to work. On your weekly claims, you'll report your gross Social Security amount (before Medicare deductions) in the "other income" section, but it won't reduce your unemployment benefits at all. I kept detailed records of every job application and interview since NYS requires 3 work search activities per week - they do verify this, especially for folks our age. I successfully collected both benefits for about 8 months until I found a part-time position that worked for my schedule. Don't let anyone discourage you from filing Diego - you paid into both systems through decades of work and you're entitled to these benefits! The hardest part will probably be getting through to NYS Department of Labor if you have questions since their phone system is notoriously difficult, but the actual eligibility process is straightforward.

I'm 66 and went through this exact situation about 8 months ago when I got laid off from my job at a medical supply warehouse. You can absolutely collect both Social Security and unemployment benefits in New York - there's no conflict between them at all! When I filed my initial claim with NYS Department of Labor, I was completely transparent about my Social Security income and the agent told me it's actually very common for people in their 60s. The key thing they care about is whether you're genuinely able and available for work, which means you need to be physically capable of working and actively seeking employment. On your weekly claims, you'll report your gross Social Security amount (before any deductions like Medicare) in the "other income" section, but it won't reduce your unemployment benefits dollar-for-dollar like work earnings would. I kept a simple notebook tracking every job application, networking contact, and interview since NYS requires 3 work search activities per week - they do verify this documentation occasionally. I successfully collected both benefits for about 6 months until I found a part-time job that worked with my schedule. Don't hesitate to file your claim - you earned both benefits through years of contributing to these systems! The only real challenge is getting through to NYS Department of Labor if you have questions since their phone system is notoriously busy, but the actual eligibility process is straightforward once you get started.