Is short term disability considered unemployment benefits in NY?
I've been out of work for 6 weeks due to a medical issue and receiving short term disability payments through my employer's insurance. My HR department mentioned something about unemployment but I'm confused - can I collect both? Or does having short term disability mean I can't file for unemployment with NYS Department of Labor? I'm worried about what happens when my STD runs out in a few more weeks.
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Admin_Masters
No, short term disability and unemployment are completely different programs. STD is for when you can't work due to medical reasons, while unemployment is for when you're able and available to work but don't have a job. You typically can't collect both at the same time since unemployment requires you to be actively seeking work.
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Charlotte White
•That makes sense, thank you! So when my disability ends, then I could potentially file for unemployment if I'm cleared to work but my job isn't available?
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Matthew Sanchez
Just went through this exact situation last year. You're right that you can't collect both simultaneously. The key thing is being 'able and available' for work - that's a basic requirement for NY unemployment. When your STD ends, if you're medically cleared but your employer can't bring you back immediately, THEN you might be eligible for UI benefits.
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Ella Thompson
•Did you have any issues transitioning from disability to unemployment? I'm in a similar spot and wondering about the timing.
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Matthew Sanchez
•The transition was smoother than I expected. Just make sure you have documentation that you're cleared to return to work when you file your unemployment claim.
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JacksonHarris
this is confusing because my friend said she got unemployment while on disability but maybe she was lying or confused about what she was getting?? the rules seem really strict
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Admin_Masters
•Your friend might have been receiving different types of benefits or maybe had a gap between when her disability ended and unemployment started. The NYS Department of Labor is pretty clear that you can't be on both programs simultaneously.
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Jeremiah Brown
I had a nightmare trying to get through to NYS Department of Labor when I was dealing with this transition. Kept getting busy signals and when I finally got through, they'd hang up after being on hold forever. Finally used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that actually got me connected to a real person at the unemployment office. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Made the whole process so much easier than trying to call myself.
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Royal_GM_Mark
•Interesting, never heard of that service. How much does it cost?
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Jeremiah Brown
•Worth checking out their site for details, but honestly after weeks of frustration trying to reach someone the regular way, having an actual conversation with a NYS Department of Labor agent was priceless.
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Amelia Cartwright
Yeah definitely separate programs. I work in benefits admin and see this confusion all the time. Short term disability is usually through private insurance or employer plans, while unemployment is a state program. The eligibility requirements are totally different - one requires you to be unable to work, the other requires you to be able to work but unemployed.
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