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.

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!

One thing to keep in mind is that your unemployment benefits will be taxable income when you file your taxes next year, even though they're based on gross wages. So you might want to consider having taxes withheld from your weekly payments to avoid owing money later.

This is really helpful information everyone! I'm in a similar situation and was also confused about the gross vs net distinction. @Liam Fitzgerald - with your $52k gross income, you should be looking at a decent weekly benefit amount since NYS caps out at $504/week maximum. The formula is roughly 50% of your average weekly wage during your highest earning quarter in the base period, so you'll want to look at your quarterly earnings to get a better estimate of what to expect.

I just had my phone interview yesterday and wanted to add a few things that might help! They asked me about my salary at my last job and whether I received any commission or bonuses that might affect my weekly benefit calculation. They also wanted to know if I had given proper notice when I left (or if I was terminated, whether it was immediate). One question I wasn't expecting was whether I had access to COBRA benefits and if I was planning to continue my health insurance through my former employer. Make sure you know your exact start and end dates of employment too - they were very specific about those. The interviewer also asked if I had filed for unemployment in any other state recently or if I had worked in multiple states. Overall it was very straightforward and the interviewer walked me through each section clearly. Don't overthink it - just have your facts ready and be honest about everything!

I had my phone interview about 4 months ago and wanted to share what really helped me succeed. The most important thing is to treat it like a fact-gathering conversation, not an interrogation. They asked about my work history, reason for separation, and current job search activities. One tip I don't see mentioned yet - if you were laid off due to company downsizing or budget cuts, have those details ready including approximate dates when you were first notified. They also asked if I had received any job training or certifications recently that might affect my employability. The interviewer was genuinely professional and seemed to want to help me get through the process smoothly. I kept a notepad with bullet points of key information and it made me feel much more confident. The whole thing lasted about 14 minutes and I received approval 4 days later. You've clearly done your homework reading all these responses - just stay calm and stick to the facts. You're going to do absolutely fine!

You should report your "active hours" when certifying for UI benefits while working for Uber or DoorDash. Active hours are the time you're actually performing paid work (actively delivering food or transporting passengers), not just the time you have the app open waiting for orders/rides. The distinction is important because NYSDOL wants to know how many hours you're actually working and earning money. If you reported all dash/online hours (including time just waiting), you'd be overstating your work hours, which could unnecessarily reduce your benefits. When certifying, calculate and report: - Hours actively completing deliveries/rides - All earnings from these gigs (before expenses) Keep detailed records of your active work time and earnings each day. The NYSDOL may request documentation if there are questions about your certifications. The Uber/DoorDash apps typically provide reports showing your active time versus total online time, which can help you accurately report your hours.

Just to add to Aisha's excellent response - make sure you're also keeping track of your mileage and any business expenses related to your gig work. While you report your gross earnings to NYSDOL, you can deduct legitimate business expenses on your taxes later. Also, if you're working multiple gig apps simultaneously (like having both Uber and DoorDash running), be careful not to double-count overlapping active hours. Only count the time you're actually completing deliveries or rides, not the time you have multiple apps open waiting for requests. The key is being consistent and accurate with your reporting. NYSDOL audits are random but thorough, so having good records from day one will save you headaches later if you're selected for review.