One more important thing - while working on your unemployment appeal, immediately apply for emergency assistance benefits through HRA. You may qualify for emergency cash assistance, SNAP benefits (food stamps), and emergency rental assistance even while your unemployment is under appeal. Many people don't realize these programs exist separately from unemployment insurance. Visit ACCESS HRA online or go to your local HRA office in person - tell them you have a 4-year-old and are facing homelessness, and they should expedite your case. This can provide a financial bridge while your unemployment appeal is being processed.

That's great news about the emergency assistance! Regarding your unemployment appeal, make sure to specifically mention in your appeal that you had two employers and suspect one may not be showing in the system. Request a "wage investigation" as part of your appeal. This triggers a separate process where they contact the employer directly to verify your employment. Also, when providing documentation, include your first and last paystubs from BOTH employers, as this proves the duration of employment clearly. For the LQ-510 code specifically, they're looking at whether you earned at least $3,100 in your base period and worked in at least two calendar quarters. With 18 months of work history, you should easily meet this unless your wages were very low.

I'm in a similar situation and called the NY unemployment help desk about ID.me issues. They told me that even though ID.me is a third-party service, NYSDOL can sometimes override verification issues if you can prove your identity directly to them. The representative suggested sending a secure message through the unemployment portal with clear photos of your identification documents. Include your claimant ID and a brief explanation of the ID.me issues you're having. This worked for me after 3 failed attempts with ID.me. Key point though: Document EVERYTHING. Save screenshots of error messages, note the dates/times you attempted verification, and record any reference numbers from ID.me. This documentation strengthens your case if they question why you couldn't file sooner.

my cousin works at nysdol and says they're getting TONS of id.me complaints lately. apparently there was a system update in October that made it more strict. try checking the NY unemployment twitter or facebook - sometimes they post workarounds when lots of people have the same problem

Just wanted to update - I used Claimyr this morning and got through to an agent who confirmed they're having major issues with the appeals portal. They're actually aware of the problem and said they're working on it, but no ETA for a fix. The agent was able to note in my file that I attempted to file online multiple times before the deadline.

UPDATE: NYSDOL just announced they're extending all appeal deadlines by 14 days due to the technical issues with their portal. Check your email or message inbox on your NY.gov account for the official notification. This should give you some breathing room while they fix the system.

Update on your situation: I just checked the NYSDOL website and they posted a notice yesterday that they're experiencing a technical issue affecting some claims filed between January-March 2025. They're working on a fix and claim it will be resolved by April 20th. If your claim falls in that period, this might be affecting you. Check their Twitter account (@NYSLabor) for the most current updates.

Thank you for checking this! I just looked at their Twitter and saw the notice. My claim was filed in January so that must be why I'm affected. Still going to try reaching them by phone since I can't wait until April 20th for rent, but at least now I know what's happening. Really appreciate you sharing this update.

My cousin works for unemployment (not in NY) and says their systems are from like the stone age and break all the time lol

For anyone finding this thread later with a similar problem, I want to add that there are specific error codes that sometimes appear with the "exhausted benefits" message. If you see an error code, write it down - it will help representatives identify your specific issue faster if you do need to call. Also, check if the message appears only when you try to certify or if it also appears on your main account dashboard. Sometimes these messages only show in one place but not the other, which is another sign it's likely a display glitch rather than an actual benefits exhaustion.