Is unemployment SSI - confused about NYS Department of Labor benefits vs disability
I'm really confused about something and hoping someone can clear this up. I've been getting unemployment benefits from NYS Department of Labor for about 8 weeks now, but my neighbor told me that unemployment is the same thing as SSI? That doesn't sound right to me but now I'm second guessing myself. I thought SSI was for people with disabilities and unemployment was for people who lost their jobs. Are these two different programs or am I missing something? I don't want to be doing anything wrong with my weekly claims if I'm supposed to be applying for something else instead.
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StarSurfer
No, unemployment insurance (UI) and SSI are completely different federal programs. NYS Department of Labor administers unemployment benefits for people who are temporarily out of work and able to work. SSI (Supplemental Security Income) is administered by Social Security Administration for people with disabilities who have limited income and resources. You're doing the right thing filing your weekly claims with NYS Department of Labor if you're unemployed and looking for work.
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Dmitry Petrov
•Thank you! That makes so much more sense. I was really worried I was filing the wrong paperwork this whole time.
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Ava Martinez
your neighbor probably got confused because both programs provide money when you're not working, but the reasons are totally different. unemployment is temporary help while you look for a new job, SSI is long-term support for people who can't work due to disability
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Miguel Castro
Just to add more clarity - with NYS Department of Labor unemployment, you have to certify each week that you're actively searching for work and able to work. With SSI, you're certifying that you cannot work due to a qualifying disability. The job search requirement alone shows these are opposite situations. Keep filing your weekly claims as long as you're unemployed and meet the work search requirements.
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Zainab Abdulrahman
•This is really helpful. I had a similar confusion when I first started my claim. The terminology can be overwhelming when you're dealing with government benefits for the first time.
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Connor Byrne
I actually had trouble reaching someone at NYS Department of Labor to ask similar questions about my claim status. If you need to speak with an agent directly about your benefits, I found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helps you get through to unemployment offices by phone. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Really saved me hours of calling and getting busy signals when I needed to verify some details about my weekly certification.
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Dmitry Petrov
•That's interesting, I might need to check that out if I have more questions. The phone lines are always so busy.
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Yara Elias
yeah theyre totally different programs but i can see why people get confused since both involve government assistance when you dont have income from working
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