How are social security benefits affecting my NYS Department of Labor unemployment claim?
I'm really confused about how my social security disability benefits might be impacting my unemployment claim with NYS Department of Labor. I've been receiving SSDI for a partial disability but I'm still able to work part-time. Filed for unemployment after losing my job last month and now I'm getting conflicting information about whether I can collect both. My claim has been in adjudication for two weeks and I'm worried they're going to deny me because of the social security payments. Has anyone dealt with this situation before? The NYS Department of Labor website doesn't really explain how these two programs interact.
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Zara Ahmed
You can potentially receive both SSDI and unemployment benefits in New York, but there are specific requirements. The key issue is that unemployment requires you to be able and available for work, while SSDI is for disability. If you're receiving SSDI for a partial disability and can still work, you may qualify for UI benefits. The NYS Department of Labor will review your case during adjudication to determine if you meet the able and available requirements while receiving social security.
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Sean O'Connor
•Thank you! That's exactly what I was hoping to hear. My SSDI is specifically for a partial disability and my doctor has cleared me to work part-time. Should I contact NYS Department of Labor to explain this or just wait for the adjudication to finish?
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Luca Conti
I went through something similar last year. The NYS Department of Labor will want documentation showing that despite receiving social security, you're still capable of working. I had to provide medical records and a letter from my doctor stating I could perform work activities. It took about 3 weeks for them to approve my claim after I submitted the additional paperwork.
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Sean O'Connor
•What kind of medical records did they want? I have all my recent evaluations from social security but I'm not sure if that's what NYS Department of Labor needs.
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Nia Johnson
Wait, I thought you couldn't get both??? This is so confusing. I'm on social security too and haven't even tried filing for unemployment because I assumed they would automatically deny me. Are you saying NYS Department of Labor might actually approve it?
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Zara Ahmed
•It depends on the type of social security benefits and your specific circumstances. Total disability would likely conflict with the able and available requirement, but partial disability benefits don't automatically disqualify you from unemployment in New York.
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CyberNinja
If you're having trouble getting through to NYS Department of Labor to discuss your case, I recently found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helps people reach unemployment agents directly. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Might be worth checking out since adjudication cases like yours often benefit from speaking to an actual person who can review your social security documentation.
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Sean O'Connor
•Thanks for the suggestion! I've been trying to call NYS Department of Labor for days but keep getting the busy signal. I'll check that out.
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Mateo Lopez
The whole system is ridiculous if you ask me. Why should receiving social security benefits automatically make them question your ability to work? If you lost your job and you're actively seeking new employment, that should be enough for NYS Department of Labor. The bureaucracy just creates more hoops for people who are already struggling.
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Aisha Abdullah
•I understand the frustration, but there are legitimate reasons for the review. The programs have different eligibility criteria that can sometimes conflict.
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Ethan Davis
just had a friend go thru this, took forever but she got approved eventually. hang in there!
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Anna Stewart
I'm currently going through a very similar situation! I've been on SSDI for a back injury but my doctor cleared me for desk work and light duties. When I filed my unemployment claim with NYS Department of Labor after getting laid off, I made sure to include a letter from my doctor explaining my work capacity limitations and that I'm actively seeking employment within those restrictions. The key thing I learned is to be completely upfront about your social security benefits during the initial application and provide any medical documentation that shows you can still work. My case worker told me that partial disability cases are evaluated individually, and they mainly want to verify that you're genuinely able and available for suitable work despite your limitations. It's been about 4 weeks in adjudication for me, but I've heard back from them requesting additional documentation, which I take as a positive sign that they're seriously considering my case rather than just denying it outright.
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Jungleboo Soletrain
•This is really helpful to hear from someone going through the exact same thing! I'm glad you mentioned being upfront about the SSDI benefits from the start - I was honest on my application but wasn't sure if I should have provided more documentation initially. It sounds like your approach of including the doctor's letter with work capacity details was smart. I'm at 2 weeks in adjudication and haven't heard anything yet, but your experience gives me hope that 4 weeks might be more realistic for these types of cases. Did they ask for specific forms from your doctor or just a general letter explaining your ability to work within limitations?
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