Does disability count as income for unemployment benefits in New York?
I'm getting social security disability payments and was wondering if I can still collect unemployment benefits in NY? My doctor cleared me to work part-time but I'm having trouble finding anything. Does the NYS Department of Labor count my disability payments as income that would reduce my unemployment benefits? I don't want to mess up my claim by not reporting something I should.
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Chloe Davis
You need to be careful here because you have to be able and available for work to qualify for unemployment. If you're receiving disability benefits, NYS Department of Labor might question whether you can actually work. The disability payments themselves don't count as wages, but the bigger issue is proving you're physically capable of working.
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Omar Farouk
•My doctor did give me clearance for part-time work, so I think I should be okay on the able and available requirement. Just wasn't sure about the income reporting part.
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AstroAlpha
I had this exact situation last year. Social security disability doesn't count as reportable income for your weekly unemployment claims. BUT you absolutely must be able to prove you can work when NYS Department of Labor asks. Keep all your medical documentation showing work clearance.
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Diego Chavez
•This is good to know! I've been worried about the same thing with my workers comp payments.
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Anastasia Smirnova
wait so if im getting SSI can i still get unemployment?? i thought you couldnt get both at the same time
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Chloe Davis
•SSI is different from SSDI. With SSI you generally can't work enough hours to qualify for unemployment in the first place. SSDI allows some work activity which is why it might be possible in that case.
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Sean O'Brien
I went through hell trying to get answers about this from NYS Department of Labor directly. Spent weeks trying to get through on the phone with no luck. Finally used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that actually got me connected to a real person who could explain the rules. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Way easier than trying to navigate the phone system yourself.
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Omar Farouk
•Thanks for the suggestion! I might try that if I can't get clear answers through the normal channels.
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Zara Shah
The whole system is so confusing! I'm dealing with partial disability and trying to work part time and nobody can give me straight answers about what I need to report and when.
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Emma Davis
•I totally understand the frustration! The key things to remember are: 1) Disability payments themselves don't count as wages for UI purposes, 2) You need medical clearance showing you can work (sounds like Omar has this), and 3) Keep detailed records of everything. The hardest part is often just getting someone knowledgeable on the phone to confirm your specific situation.
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