06 Sep Can I get unemployment if I’m on Social Security?

Q. How can I apply for unemployment benefits as I receive Social Security benefits?
— Unemployed

A. We’re sorry to hear you’ve lost your job.

Social Security retirement benefits do not affect your unemployment benefits, according to the state’s Department of Labor. 

“If you are eligible to receive a pension from an employer you worked for during your base year period, your benefits may be reduced,’ it said. “The term `pension’ includes benefits paid in a lump sum, such as a 401K, as well as pensions that are paid on a monthly basis.”

If you have applied for, received, or expect to receive a pension, the agency will conduct a fact-finding interview before you would be approved for benefits.

For more information on pensions, click here.

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This story was originally published on Sept. 6, 2023.

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