ugh the whole unemployment system is such a mess, they make everything so complicated and stressful when people are already struggling

The protest period can definitely be nerve-wracking, but try not to stress too much about it. In my experience, most employers don't actually contest claims unless there was serious misconduct involved. Since you mentioned this is about a standard unemployment filing, you'll likely be fine. Just make sure you keep filing your weekly certifications even during the protest period - that way if you're approved, you won't miss out on any benefits. The whole process usually takes 2-3 weeks total with NYS DOL.

Hey OP, any updates? Did you get your payment yet?

I went through this exact same thing earlier this year! Got the "Claim Can now be Paid" text and then... crickets for almost a month. It's so frustrating when you're counting on that money. What finally worked for me was calling super early in the morning (like 8:01 AM sharp) and just hitting redial over and over. Took about 45 minutes but I finally got through to someone who could see there was a small glitch in my account that was holding up payments. They fixed it right there on the call and I had my money within 3 business days. Also make sure you're doing your weekly certifications religiously - even if you haven't gotten paid yet, keep claiming those weeks or you'll lose them. The system will catch up and backpay you for all the weeks you certified for. Hope this helps and you see that payment soon! 🙏

Just wanted to add my recent experience to this thread since I completed the ID.me verification process earlier this week. Like everyone else confirmed, it's absolutely mandatory now - there's no alternative option. I was pretty anxious about the whole thing after hearing mixed reviews online, but honestly it went much smoother than I expected. I followed a lot of the advice from this thread: used my desktop computer, did it around noon with natural lighting from my window, cleared my browser cache first, and had my driver's license ready. The entire process took about 16 minutes and the facial recognition worked on my first attempt. One tip I'd add is to speak clearly during the video portion - they ask you to say some numbers out loud and I made sure to enunciate. My account took about 30 hours to fully sync with the NY unemployment system, which seems pretty typical based on what others have shared. Now I can access everything through the regular NY DOL portal using my ID.me login. For anyone still hesitant about this - I totally get the privacy concerns, but the verification really is legitimate and necessary. The system has definitely helped cut down on fraudulent claims. Just take your time with it and don't stress too much!

I just want to echo what everyone else has said here - ID.me is definitely required now for NY unemployment, no exceptions. I went through this process about 3 weeks ago and while I was super nervous about it initially, it really wasn't that bad once I got started. The key things that helped me: good lighting (I did mine around 1 PM by a large window), using my laptop instead of phone, having my driver's license ready, and most importantly - not rushing through it. The facial recognition took two tries for me because I was wearing a baseball cap the first time, but once I removed it, it worked perfectly. Total time was about 20 minutes. One thing I'd emphasize is to make sure your ID isn't expired - they're very strict about that. After completing verification, it took about 48 hours for my account to fully activate with NY DOL. Now I use my ID.me login every time I access my benefits and it's actually pretty seamless. I know sharing personal documents online feels sketchy, but ID.me is used by tons of government agencies and is legitimate. You'll get through this - just take your time and follow the tips everyone has shared here!

Also keep in mind that if you do owe money, you have appeal rights. Don't just accept an overpayment determination if you think it's wrong. You have 30 days from the notice date to file an appeal with supporting documentation.

I was in a similar situation last year and the anxiety was terrible! One thing that really helped me was calling the Overpayment Unit directly at 1-888-209-8124. They can tell you right over the phone if there's any overpayment on your account without you having to wait for a notice. The hold times can be long but it's worth it for peace of mind. Also, if you do find out you owe money, ask about a waiver - sometimes if it was their error or there were extenuating circumstances, they'll waive part or all of the overpayment.

Most important thing is DON'T LIE about anything even if you think it might hurt your case. They can verify everything and lying will definitely disqualify you. I know someone who got caught lying about their reason for leaving and they had to pay back everything plus penalties.

I just went through this process a few months ago and it was way less scary than I expected! They basically want to confirm the details you already provided in your application. Common questions include: exact reason for separation, your last day of work, any final payments received, whether you're able and available to work, and your job search activities. Write down key dates and details beforehand so you don't get flustered. The interviewer was professional and just doing their job - not trying to trip me up. You've got this!