Is unemployment government assistance - will it affect my other benefits?

Unemployment benefits are government assistance, but they're a different category than SNAP or TANF. UI benefits are based on your work history and what you paid into the system, so they're considered 'earned benefits.' For SNAP, unemployment income does count toward your household income, so it might affect your benefit amount but it won't automatically disqualify you. You should definitely file for unemployment - you earned those benefits by working.

yeah unemployment is government money but its not welfare if thats what your asking. i got unemployment and medicaid at the same time no problems

The technical distinction is that unemployment insurance is a social insurance program, not means-tested assistance. You're entitled to it based on your employment history and employer contributions. However, the income will count for other benefit calculations. Make sure to report your unemployment income to your SNAP caseworker when you start receiving it to avoid any overpayment issues later.

I was in the same situation last year! Got laid off from my retail job and was terrified about losing my benefits. My SNAP amount went down a little when I started getting unemployment but I didn't lose it completely. The unemployment office and SNAP office don't really talk to each other so you have to report the income yourself. If you need help reaching someone at NYS Department of Labor to file your claim, I used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get through to an agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Way better than sitting on hold for hours.

UGH the whole system is so confusing! They make it impossible to understand what affects what. I've been on unemployment twice and both times I had to figure everything out myself because nobody gives you clear answers. At least you're asking the right questions before filing.

Just wanted to add that you should definitely keep all your unemployment paperwork organized. When it's time to recertify for SNAP they'll want to see your benefit statements from NYS Department of Labor.

Don't let fear keep you from filing for unemployment - you worked for those benefits! I went through something similar when I lost my restaurant job a few years back. The key thing to remember is that unemployment is insurance you and your employer paid into, not a handout. Yes, it counts as income for SNAP calculations, but that just means they'll adjust your benefit amount based on your new income level. You won't automatically lose SNAP eligibility. The important thing is to report your unemployment income to your SNAP caseworker as soon as you start receiving it. This keeps you in compliance and prevents any issues down the road. File that claim ASAP - restaurants are hiring again but unemployment will help bridge the gap while you're job hunting.