I'm going through this exact same problem right now and it's been so stressful! I accidentally typed my mother's maiden name wrong when I first set up my account (used her stepfather's last name instead of her biological father's) and now I'm completely locked out. I've been trying to call the main customer service line for three days straight with no luck - just endless busy signals or getting disconnected after hours on hold. Reading through all these solutions has been incredibly helpful though! I'm definitely going to try the password reset method that @Mei Wong and @Luca Romano had success with first thing tomorrow morning. If that doesn't work, I'll try calling that Teleclaim number (888-581-5812) during the 2-3 PM window that @AstroExplorer recommended. It's so frustrating that one small mistake can cause such a huge problem, but I'm really grateful for all the detailed advice here. This community has been a lifesaver - I was starting to panic about missing multiple weeks of claims! Will definitely update with what ends up working for me.

I'm dealing with this exact same issue right now and reading through everyone's experiences has been so helpful! I made the mistake of putting my mom's confirmation name instead of her actual maiden name when I first applied, and now I'm completely locked out. I've been trying the main customer service line for days with no success - just endless hold times and disconnections. I'm definitely going to try the password reset method that @Mei Wong, @Luca Romano, and others have had success with first. The tip about choosing phone verification over email verification seems crucial. If that doesn't work, I'll try the Teleclaim number (888-581-5812) during that 2-3 PM window that @AstroExplorer recommended. It's incredible how one small typo can cause such a massive headache, but I'm so grateful for this community sharing all these workarounds. This gives me hope that I'll actually be able to get back to filing my weekly claims soon instead of stressing about missing payments!

I'm so grateful I found this thread! I've been dealing with the exact same issue for about 6 weeks - that 888-209-8124 number is absolutely useless and just hangs up immediately every time. My benefits were suspended in early February with no explanation whatsoever, and I was starting to think I was going crazy trying to get help. This thread is like striking gold - I had no idea there were so many different strategies to try! I'm definitely going to start with the mobile app callback feature that Max mentioned since it has that separate queue, and then send a secure message mentioning my 6+ week timeline to get into that priority callback system. I'll also call my assemblyman's office tomorrow morning. It's incredibly frustrating that we have to become experts in navigating a broken system just to get basic help, but reading all these success stories gives me real hope for the first time in weeks. The system upgrade explanation finally makes sense of why everything has been such a disaster lately. Thank you to everyone who took the time to share what worked for them - this community support is exactly what people need when dealing with impossible bureaucracy. I'll definitely post an update once I make progress to help the next person who finds this lifesaver of a thread!

I've been lurking on this thread for weeks while dealing with my own NYSDOL nightmare, and I just wanted to say THANK YOU to everyone who shared their experiences and strategies! This has been the most helpful resource I've found anywhere online. I'm in week 9 of trying to reach someone about my benefits that were cut off in January with zero explanation. That 888-209-8124 number is completely broken - I've called it literally hundreds of times and it just hangs up immediately every single time. I was starting to think it was some kind of cruel joke. Based on all the amazing advice in this thread, I finally have a real action plan: 1. Already downloaded the mobile app and submitted a callback request through that separate queue system 2. Sent a detailed secure message specifically mentioning my 9+ week timeline 3. Called my state representative's office this morning (they were actually really helpful and said they'd reach out to their NYSDOL contact) 4. Started documenting every single contact attempt The information about the system upgrade running through April finally explains why this has been such an absolute disaster since January. It's still incredibly frustrating, but at least knowing there's a concrete reason helps maintain some sanity. Reading Isaiah's success story and all the other updates showing these methods actually work has given me the first real hope I've had in months. This community has created something truly valuable here - a actual roadmap for navigating an impossible system. I'll definitely post an update once I make progress to help keep this resource current for the next person who desperately needs it!

I'm currently going through this exact nightmare too! Been locked out for over a week after forgetting my PIN and the security questions failing. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been both frustrating and reassuring - frustrating because it's clear this system is completely broken, but reassuring because I'm definitely not alone in this mess. I'm planning to try the One-Stop Career Center approach based on all the positive feedback here. Already called ahead and they confirmed they can help with PIN resets if you bring proper ID, Social Security card, and employment documents. The staff person I spoke with said walk-ins are usually seen within 2-3 hours, which beats waiting weeks for fraud statement processing or spending $20 on calling services. For anyone else in this situation - don't give up! It sounds like persistence really does pay off with this system. I'll definitely update this thread once I try the career center route. We need more success stories to help others navigate this bureaucratic maze! 🤞

I've been following this thread closely since I'm dealing with a very similar PIN lockout situation myself. Based on everyone's experiences, it seems like the One-Stop Career Center approach is definitely the most promising solution - multiple people have mentioned they can reset PINs directly, which bypasses all the broken online systems and endless phone holds. For those planning to visit a career center, I'd recommend calling ahead to confirm they can help with PIN resets and asking about wait times. Also, make sure to bring: - Photo ID (driver's license or state ID) - Social Security card - Recent pay stubs or tax documents (W-2s, etc.) - Any documentation related to your fraud statement if you filed one It's incredibly frustrating that something as simple as forgetting a PIN can turn into weeks of bureaucratic hell, but this thread gives me hope that there are actual solutions. The fact that so many people are going through this exact same issue shows how broken the system really is. Really hoping some of you who try the career center route will update us with success stories - it would help so many others who are stuck in this same nightmare! 🤞

Just to add - make sure you understand the difference between state unemployment and federal unemployment taxes too. Even if you don't pay state unemployment on yourself, you still might have other tax obligations depending on your business structure and income level.

Great point about federal vs state taxes! As someone who just went through setting up my own LLC last year, I learned this the hard way. Even though I don't pay state unemployment on myself as a single-member LLC, I still had to deal with federal self-employment taxes and quarterly estimated payments. The IRS and NYS Department of Labor have completely different requirements, which adds another layer of confusion. Definitely recommend talking to a tax professional early on to avoid surprises at tax time.

This is really helpful info! I'm in a similar situation - just started collecting last month and had no idea about the tax implications. Quick question: if I set up withholding now, does it only apply to future payments or can they somehow withhold extra to cover what I've already received without withholding? I'm worried about owing a chunk at tax time like @Amara mentioned.

Just a heads up for everyone dealing with the phone wait times - I found that calling the Tel-Service line right when they open at 8am tends to have shorter hold times. Also, if you're tech-savvy, the my.ny.gov portal is usually your best bet for making changes to tax withholding since it's available 24/7. I set mine up online in about 5 minutes once I figured out where to navigate. One more tip: keep screenshots of your withholding elections in case there are any discrepancies later - I learned this the hard way when there was a glitch and my withholding didn't take effect for two weeks.