Is cash assistance the same as unemployment benefits from NYS Department of Labor?
I'm really confused about the difference between cash assistance and unemployment benefits. I just lost my job last week and someone told me I should apply for both but I'm not sure if they're the same thing or if I can even get both at once. I know unemployment comes from NYS Department of Labor but where does cash assistance come from? Can someone explain what the difference is and which one I should apply for first?
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Christian Burns
No, they're completely different programs! Cash assistance (also called TANF - Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) comes from your local Department of Social Services, not NYS Department of Labor. Unemployment insurance is specifically for people who lost their job through no fault of their own and are actively looking for work. Cash assistance is welfare for families with very low income and assets. You apply for unemployment through the NYS Department of Labor website, but cash assistance through your county's social services office.
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Jenna Sloan
•Oh wow I had no idea they were separate! So I can apply for both if I qualify? Do they count against each other?
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Sasha Reese
yeah theyre totally different things. unemployment you get based on your work history and how much you earned before. cash assistance is more like welfare for people with kids who really dont have any money coming in at all
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Muhammad Hobbs
The income limits are very different too. For unemployment from NYS Department of Labor, you can earn some money while collecting benefits (up to a certain amount before they reduce your payment). Cash assistance has much stricter asset and income limits - like you can't have more than $2,000 in resources in most cases. Also unemployment doesn't care if you have kids, but cash assistance is mainly for families with children under 18.
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Noland Curtis
•Wait so if I'm getting unemployment can I still apply for cash assistance? I have two kids and my unemployment might not cover all our bills
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Muhammad Hobbs
•Yes you can apply for both, but they'll count your unemployment benefits as income when determining if you qualify for cash assistance. It might reduce how much cash assistance you get or you might not qualify at all depending on your unemployment amount.
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Diez Ellis
I tried calling NYS Department of Labor to ask about this same thing and couldn't get through for weeks. Finally used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an actual person at NYS Department of Labor in like 10 minutes. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. The agent I talked to explained the difference really clearly and helped me understand which programs I qualified for.
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Jenna Sloan
•That sounds too good to be true. How much does it cost?
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Diez Ellis
•It was actually really helpful and way easier than trying to call myself. Worth checking out if you're having trouble reaching NYS Department of Labor.
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Vanessa Figueroa
The job search requirements are different too!! With unemployment from NYS Department of Labor you have to actively look for work and document it. Cash assistance might require you to participate in work activities but it's through their program not the same as unemployment job search requirements.
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StarSailor}
Just to add to what everyone else said - the application processes are totally different too. For unemployment benefits from NYS Department of Labor, you apply online at labor.ny.gov and it's pretty straightforward if you have your employment history ready. For cash assistance, you usually have to go to your local Department of Social Services office in person with tons of documents like pay stubs, bank statements, rent receipts, etc. The unemployment application asks about your work history and why you lost your job, while cash assistance digs deep into your entire financial situation and living arrangements. I'd definitely start with unemployment first since that's faster and you're more likely to qualify based on losing your job.
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Dylan Mitchell
•This is super helpful! I was wondering about the application process differences. One thing I'm still confused about though - if I apply for unemployment first and get approved, will that make me automatically ineligible for cash assistance? Or do they evaluate them separately? I'm a single mom with one kid and really worried about making ends meet while I look for a new job.
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Isaac Wright
•They evaluate them separately, but your unemployment benefits will count as income when they determine your cash assistance eligibility. So you won't be automatically ineligible, but the unemployment might reduce your cash assistance amount or potentially make you ineligible if it puts you over the income limits. Since you're a single mom though, the income limits for cash assistance are usually higher than for single people without kids. I'd definitely apply for unemployment first since that's guaranteed if you qualify based on your work history, then apply for cash assistance after and see what happens. Even if you only get partial cash assistance, every little bit helps when you're trying to make ends meet!
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McKenzie Shade
One more thing to keep in mind - the timing can be really important! Unemployment benefits from NYS Department of Labor usually start paying within 2-3 weeks if there are no issues with your claim, but cash assistance can take much longer to process (sometimes 30-45 days). So definitely get your unemployment application in ASAP since you just lost your job last week. The sooner you apply, the sooner you can start getting those benefits. And don't wait to apply for cash assistance either if you think you might qualify - even if the unemployment reduces what you get, having both applications in the system means you'll get help as soon as possible. Also, make sure to keep all your documentation organized because both programs might ask for additional paperwork later on.
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Malik Johnson
•This timing advice is so important! I wish I had known this when I first lost my job. I waited almost a month before applying for anything because I thought I had to choose between them. By the time I figured out they were different programs, I had already missed out on weeks of potential unemployment benefits. The retroactive payments helped some, but it would have been so much easier to have that income coming in right away. For anyone reading this - definitely don't make the same mistake I did. Apply for unemployment through NYS Department of Labor immediately, even if you're not sure about all the details. You can always ask questions later, but you can't get back those lost weeks of eligibility.
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