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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