Does social security affect unemployment benefits in New York - NYS Department of Labor rules?

Good news - in New York, social security retirement benefits do NOT reduce your unemployment benefits. The NYS Department of Labor treats social security as a separate federal program. You can receive both simultaneously without any offset. Just make sure when you file your weekly claims that you report your work search activities correctly and any part-time work income if you pick up any side jobs.

wait i thought any government benefits would affect unemployment? my cousin told me her disability payments got deducted from her UI

I went through this exact situation two years ago when I got laid off at 63. The NYS Department of Labor rep I spoke with confirmed that social security retirement doesn't count as wages or reduce your weekly benefit rate. However, you still need to actively search for work and be available to accept suitable employment. Some people think collecting social security means you're retired and not looking for work, but that's not automatically true. I had trouble getting through to NYS Department of Labor on the phone though - took weeks of trying. If you need to speak with someone directly, I recently discovered this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helps you actually reach a human agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Made my life so much easier when I had questions about my claim status.

Just want to add that even though social security doesn't reduce your UI benefits, you still need to report ANY other income on your weekly claims. This includes pensions, part-time work, severance pay if you got any, etc. The NYS Department of Labor is pretty strict about income reporting and if they find unreported income later it can cause overpayment issues.

ugh the whole system is so confusing!! why can't they just make this stuff clearer on their website?? i've been trying to figure out my own benefit calculation for weeks

Diego, you're in a good spot! I went through something similar last year at 65. The key thing to remember is that while social security retirement doesn't reduce your unemployment benefits in NY, you still need to demonstrate that you're actively seeking work and available for employment. The NYS Department of Labor will ask about your work search activities during your weekly certifications. I'd recommend keeping a detailed log of your job applications, interviews, and networking activities. Also, make sure your resume is updated and ready to go - they may ask for proof of your job search efforts. One tip: consider looking into age-friendly employers or programs specifically for older workers, as this can help strengthen your case that you're genuinely seeking employment while collecting benefits.