New York Unemployment
CommunityGovernment Services
Can't reach New York Unemployment? Claimyr calls for you, so you don't have to wait on hold.
$19.99StandardOne price
Claimyr is a pay-as-you-go service. We do not charge a recurring subscription.
Using Claimyr will:
- Connect you to a human agent at the NYDOL
- Skip the long phone menu
- Call the correct department
- Redial until on hold
- Forward a call to your phone with reduced hold time
- Give you free callbacks if the NYDOL drops your call
Ask the community...
- DO post questions about your issues.
- DO answer questions and support each other.
- DO post tips & tricks to help folks.
- DO NOT post call problems here - there is a support tab at the top for that :)
NY unemployment and amended tax returns - will I lose my child tax credit?
I was getting the monthly child tax credit payments after filing my taxes earlier this year, but I just had to amend my return because the NY unemployment refund amount was incorrect on my original filing. Now I'm worried - does anyone know if amending your taxes affects your child tax credit eligibility or payments? Will they stop my payments while they process the amendment? I'm counting on that money each month for my kids' expenses and don't want any surprises.
Join the conversation
NY unemployment ID.me verification keeps rejecting my photos despite sending birth certificate
I've been stuck in ID.me verification hell with NY unemployment since January 2025 and I'm at my wits end! Every single time I take pictures for the verification, they claim my photos don't match. I've tried EVERYTHING - different lighting, having someone else take the photo, using different devices. I even sent in my birth certificate as additional proof, and they had the nerve to tell me it 'doesn't match my name.' Well of course it doesn't match exactly - I got married and my last name changed! Hello!!!??? Has anyone else dealt with this nightmare? I'm missing out on benefits I desperately need while they play these games. How did you finally get verified?
Join the conversation
my sister had this same problem but her name changed cuz of divorce not marriage. she had to go to the office in person and bring all her papers
Which office did she go to? I didn't know there was an option to verify in person! That might be easier than all this online nightmare.
the big unemployment office in albany but she said it was a 3 hour wait so maybe try that video call thing first
UPDATE: I finally got verified!!! I took everyone's advice here and did the video call with the ID.me Trusted Referee. The woman was super helpful and understood my situation right away. I showed her my driver's license and social security card, explained the name change situation, and she was able to manually approve my verification! My NY unemployment claim is now processing and they said I should receive all my back benefits within 3-5 business days. THANK YOU all for your help - I would have given up without your suggestions.
That's great news! So glad you got it resolved. Make sure to keep an eye on your payment status in your online account. Sometimes there can be additional processing steps, but the hard part is behind you now.
Congrats! Still think the whole system is designed to be difficult, but glad you got through it!
NY unemployment making me certify daily instead of weekly - system glitch?
Is anyone else having to certify their NY unemployment claim EVERY DAY this week? Normally I just do it once a week on Sundays, but since Monday the system keeps telling me I need to certify again the next day. I've already done it 5 days in a row now! Called the helpline twice but can't get through to anyone. Is this some kind of new requirement or is the system messed up? Really worried my benefits might get delayed because of this.
Join the conversation
Thanks everyone for the responses! I feel much better knowing I'm not alone with this weird daily certification thing. I'll keep certifying daily and documenting everything until they fix it. I'll try to get through on the phone too, and might check out that Claimyr service if I keep hitting dead ends. Really appreciate all the advice!
Still waiting for NY unemployment tax refund after 9 months - no response from NYSDOL
I filed for my NY unemployment tax refund back in March 2025 and still haven't received anything! In August I got a letter saying I needed to wait another 60 days, and those 60 days passed over a month ago. I've been trying to call them constantly but can't get through to anyone. Has anyone else been waiting this long? This is ridiculous - I really need this money for bills and rent. What's the secret to actually reaching a human being at NYSDOL? I'm getting desperate at this point.
Join the conversation
Have you tried checking your refund status online? The NY Tax Department has a "Where's My Refund" tool on their website where you can check the status without calling. Also, double-check that your banking information is correct in your tax filing - sometimes refunds get returned if there's an issue with the direct deposit information.
Yes, I've been checking that website almost daily for months. It just says "Your refund is being processed" with no additional information. I filed for direct deposit, but at this point I'd be happy to receive a paper check if it means actually getting my money!
Just wanted to update - I called the Tax Department this morning using the number someone shared above. After 45 minutes on hold, I gave up and decided to try Claimyr. I got connected to a Tax Department representative within 30 minutes! Turns out there was an issue with my address verification (I moved in January) that was holding everything up. The representative removed the hold and said I should receive my refund within 2-3 weeks. So relieved to finally have an answer!
That's awesome news! I'm going to try this approach tomorrow. I also moved recently so maybe I'm having the same issue. Thanks for sharing your success!
Will I get NY unemployment tax refund if I filed using 2019 income instead of unemployment income?
I'm confused about the unemployment tax refund situation in New York. My boyfriend and I both received unemployment in 2025, but when we filed our taxes we used our 2019 income instead (we heard this was allowed). Now I'm wondering if we'll still get the unemployment tax refund even though we didn't actually use our unemployment income when filing? I tried to check my tax transcript online but the system keeps rejecting me for some reason. Anyone know if we still qualify for the refund? Don't want to miss out if we're eligible!
Join the conversation
Another important point: If you're waiting for a refund related to unemployment taxes but can't access your transcript online, you can request it by mail using Form 4506-T. It's free and will show if the IRS has processed any adjustments to your account. Takes about 10 business days to arrive.
mail is so slow tho. i waited almost a month for mine not 10 days lol. but yea better than nothing if u cant get the online version
Wait I'm still confused about something... are you talking about a NEW unemployment tax refund for 2025? Or are you still trying to get the old one from 2020-2021? Because those are totally different things and I haven't heard about any new unemployment tax exemption for 2025???
You're right to question this. There is currently NO unemployment tax exemption for 2025. The 2020-2021 exemption was a one-time pandemic relief measure. Unless Congress passes new legislation (which they haven't as of now), unemployment benefits received in 2025 are fully taxable with no special refund program.
PrinceJoe
Contact the Taxpayer Advocate Service! They helped me when I had a similar issue last year with my amended return and benefits. They're free and they can often resolve issues faster than waiting for normal IRS processing.
0 coins
Logan Chiang
AuthorThat's a great suggestion, I didn't know about them. Do you have their contact information or website?
0 coins
PrinceJoe
Here you go: 877-777-4778 or www.taxpayeradvocate.irs.gov - They were really helpful for me, but be prepared that it might still take a few weeks to get assigned to an advocate.
0 coins
Logan Chiang
Thank you all for the helpful responses! I've decided to: 1) Set aside 20% of my child tax credit payments just in case, 2) Try using Claimyr to actually get through to someone who can give me specific answers about my situation, and 3) Contact the Taxpayer Advocate Service as a backup. I really appreciate all the advice - this has been keeping me up at night!
0 coins