Update: My cousin tried calling for hours yesterday with no luck. We're going to try that Claimyr service someone mentioned above tomorrow. They already filed the unemployment claim online but haven't heard anything back yet. The company is now claiming they were fired for "poor performance" even though they've never had a negative review in 3 years. Is there any way to speed up the wage claim process? Every day without income is making things more stressful.

Final update from our experience: Finally got through to NYSDOL using Claimyr - well worth it! The unemployment claim is now being expedited, and a wage investigator has been assigned to the overtime case. They said the sudden "poor performance" claim without documentation is a red flag for retaliation. For anyone else in similar situations - document EVERYTHING, file claims immediately, and expect the employer to come up with excuses. Getting through to a real person makes all the difference in these cases!

btw has anyone gotten the letter from irs after getting the deposit? i got money in my acct but no explanation of how they calculated it

Update: I just checked my IRS transcript like someone suggested, and I do see an adjustment scheduled for next week! It's not a huge amount ($286) but definitely better than nothing. Thanks everyone for the help! For anyone else wondering, definitely check your transcript - it showed up there before anywhere else.

my cousin had the same problem last month and he said just keep trying different browsers until one works. he finally got it to work on microsoft edge of all things lol

UPDATE: I finally got through the ID.me verification! For anyone else struggling with this, here's what worked for me: 1. Used Chrome browser on my laptop (Safari was definitely part of my problem) 2. Made sure I was in a room with good natural lighting 3. Took off my glasses for the selfie part 4. Added a utility bill with my current address since my license has my old address 5. Made sure to go through each step slowly and carefully Thank you everyone for all your help and suggestions! My verification is now complete and they said my benefits should resume with the next payment cycle.

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.

UPDATE: I finally got through! For anyone else struggling with this, here's what worked: I used Claimyr (from the suggestion above) and got connected to an agent in about 30 minutes. The agent was able to pull up my account and see that there was indeed a calculation error on my 1099-G. They're sending me a corrected version within 10 business days. The agent also explained that the error happened because I had some weeks where benefits were adjusted retroactively, but the tax system didn't properly reconcile those adjustments. For anyone with similar issues, make sure you mention "retroactive adjustments" specifically when you get through. Thanks everyone for your help!

My cousin had the same problem but with her california unemployment. She spent weeks trying to get it fixed! I told her she should move to NY because our system is actually better than most states lol. At least here you can eventually get someone on the phone! Good luck with your taxes!