Does unemployment count as income for social security disability - NYS Department of Labor benefits question

Generally speaking, unemployment benefits from NYS Department of Labor don't count as earned income for SSDI purposes, but there can be complications. The main issue isn't the income itself but rather the work search requirements. When you file for unemployment, you're certifying that you're able and available for work, which could potentially conflict with your disability status. You should check with Social Security before filing your UI claim.

I went through this exact situation last year. Had to call Social Security multiple times to get a straight answer. The unemployment payments themselves won't reduce your SSDI, but like the previous poster said, the work search requirements can be problematic. I ended up not filing for UI because my caseworker said it could trigger a review of my disability status.

You might want to try using Claimyr to get through to a NYS Department of Labor agent about this specific situation. I used claimyr.com recently when I had questions about partial unemployment eligibility and they helped me get connected much faster than calling directly. There's a demo video at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Sometimes the unemployment office can clarify how they handle these dual-benefit situations.

wait this is confusing - i thought you couldn't get unemployment if your disabled?? how does that even work

Been dealing with this mess for months. The whole system is backwards - you need money to survive but every program has rules that conflict with the others. I'm on SSDI and lost my part-time job but afraid to file unemployment because of exactly what you're talking about.

My advice would be to contact both agencies before doing anything. Document everything in writing so you have records of what each office tells you. That way if there are problems later you have proof of what guidance you received.