I had a similar experience when I was laid off from my teaching position last year. The key things that helped me get through were: 1) Having all my documents ready beforehand (Social Security card, driver's license, W-2 forms, and separation notice from employer), 2) Calling exactly at 8:00 AM on a weekday - I set multiple alarms to make sure I called right when they opened, and 3) Being persistent but patient. It took me three days of trying but I finally got through on a Wednesday morning. The agent was very thorough and helped me understand the weekly certification process too. Don't give up - the benefits are worth the hassle of getting through their system!

how can i update my unemployment application's tax information

I've been claiming for about 6 months now and can confirm that Tuesday is the most reliable day. I certify every Sunday night around 8pm and almost always see the deposit Tuesday by noon. The few times it was delayed to Wednesday were during weeks with federal holidays. One tip - make sure your direct deposit info is correct in your NY.gov account because any banking issues can cause delays. Also keep all your job search documentation handy just in case they audit your claim, which can happen randomly and will hold up payments until resolved.

Been claiming for about 3 months now and my payments have been pretty consistent on Tuesdays when I certify on Monday mornings. One thing I learned the hard way - if you have any changes to report (like picking up a part-time job or temporary work), make sure to report it accurately during certification. I once didn't report some odd jobs I did and it flagged my account for review, which delayed payments for almost 2 weeks. The NYS Department of Labor is pretty strict about accuracy. Also, if you're getting paid by check instead of direct deposit, add an extra 3-5 business days for mail delivery.

Just went through this exact nightmare myself last month! After reading through all these suggestions, here's what finally worked for me: I combined the mobile site approach with the early morning timing (around 5 AM) and used Firefox in private mode with ALL extensions disabled. The key was having every single piece of information written down beforehand - employment dates, addresses, SSN, bank info, etc. - so I could fill everything out without any pauses or navigation. What really saved me though was realizing that the desktop site and mobile site are completely different systems. When the desktop version kept crashing at the identity verification step, the mobile version (m.ny.gov) actually let me upload my documents successfully. Also make sure you're on a stable wifi connection, not cellular data, especially for the file uploads. If you're still stuck after trying these technical fixes, honestly the callback services like Claimyr that people mentioned here do work. I was super skeptical but desperate, and they got me connected to an actual DOL agent who found a backend flag on my account that was causing all the crashes. Sometimes it's not the website itself but account-level issues that only a human can fix. Don't give up! This system is intentionally frustrating but beatable with the right strategy. You've earned these benefits and deserve them! 💪

I just went through this EXACT same ordeal a few weeks ago! After fighting the NY unemployment website for almost a month, I finally got through using a combination of strategies people have mentioned here. What worked for me was switching to the mobile site (m.ny.gov) at around 4 AM using Safari in private browsing mode with a VPN to get a fresh IP address. The key insight that saved me was realizing my account had some kind of backend flag that was causing the crashes - no amount of browser troubleshooting was going to fix it. I ended up using Claimyr after being skeptical for weeks, and they got me connected to a live DOL agent who cleared the flag in literally 5 minutes. Turned out my previous employer had submitted conflicting information that was causing the system to error out every time I tried to submit. My advice: try the technical fixes first (mobile site, off-peak hours, clean browser), but if you're still crashing after a week of attempts, there's probably an account-level issue that only a human can resolve. Don't waste months like I did thinking it was just the website being glitchy - sometimes you need that direct agent contact to get unstuck. Hang in there! The system is absolutely broken but it IS beatable with persistence and the right approach.

I'm going through this exact same nightmare right now! My accountant disappeared three weeks ago and left me with a stack of forms including the NYS-45 that I've been too intimidated to even open. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been such a relief - I was starting to think I was the only small business owner who felt completely lost with unemployment tax paperwork. The step-by-step approach everyone's outlined sounds so much more manageable than trying to figure it all out at once. I'm definitely going to start by downloading the current NYS-45 form and instructions from the NYS Department of Labor website this weekend, then work through checking my UI rate and organizing my payroll records. The suggestion about SCORE mentors is fantastic too - I had no idea free help was available for situations like this. Thank you all for turning what felt like an insurmountable problem into something I can actually tackle!

I'm in the exact same boat as everyone else here - my accountant left me hanging with all these forms about a month ago and I've been paralyzed by the NYS-45! Reading through this thread has been such a huge relief. I was convinced I was missing something critical or that there was some other form I should be using instead. The systematic approach everyone's outlined is exactly what I needed - download the current NYS-45 from the NYS Department of Labor website, check my UI rate in the employer portal, organize my quarterly payroll records, and work through the line-by-line instructions. I had no idea about SCORE mentors being available for free help with this kind of thing either - that's going to be a game changer for getting someone experienced to review my calculations before I submit. It's incredible how many small business owners have been through this exact situation with accountants leaving them to figure out unemployment tax forms on their own. Thank you all for making this feel manageable instead of impossible!

Adding to what others have said - one thing that caught me off guard was that the exemptions can change if your business grows. For example, if you start as a family business employing only relatives but later hire outside employees, you might lose that exemption status. Also, some exemptions have annual wage thresholds that reset each year, so you need to monitor your payroll carefully. I'd recommend keeping detailed records from day one and maybe consulting with a payroll specialist who knows NYS Department of Labor requirements inside and out. It's one of those areas where being proactive can save you major headaches down the road.

As someone who just went through the registration process, I can tell you that you typically need to register within 30 days of meeting the liability requirements - there's no grace period once you cross the threshold. The NYS Department of Labor is pretty strict about this timeline. I'd recommend setting up a quarterly review of your payroll to track when you might hit those thresholds (like the $300 per quarter per employee rule). That way you can register proactively rather than scrambling after the fact. Also, even if you think you qualify for an exemption, it's often safer to register anyway since the penalties for late registration are much worse than just paying the taxes from the start.