Just to clarify for anyone reading this - the unemployment tax refund was a one-time thing for 2020 tax year only. If you received unemployment benefits in 2021 or later, those are still fully taxable at the federal level. The $10,200 exclusion was only for 2020. You can still check if you got your 2020 refund by looking at IRS account transcripts online.

Thanks everyone for clarifying this! I was definitely confused thinking this was something current from NYS DOL. So just to make sure I understand - if I got unemployment in 2020 and already filed my taxes that year, the IRS should have automatically sent me a refund if I qualified? And there's nothing new happening with unemployment tax refunds for 2021, 2022, etc? I'm going to check my IRS account transcript like Nia suggested to see if I missed getting a refund back in 2021.

I just went through this same nightmare last month! What finally worked for me was using a different device entirely - I borrowed my roommate's tablet and it went through on the first try. Sometimes ID.me just doesn't play nice with certain device/browser combinations for reasons nobody can explain. Also make sure you're not using any VPN or proxy - that can mess with their location verification. If you're still stuck, try doing it at a different time of day too. I found early morning (like 7-8 AM) worked better than peak hours when their servers are probably overloaded. Hope this helps!

I just want to add something that helped me when I was stuck on the ID.me verification for weeks - if you have any browser extensions running (especially password managers, ad blockers, or privacy tools like Ghostery), try disabling ALL of them temporarily. I know it sounds like overkill, but ID.me's upload system is really sensitive to anything that might interfere with their scripts. I was pulling my hair out until I tried a completely clean browser session with no extensions, and suddenly everything worked. Also, if you're on mobile, try enabling "Desktop Site" mode in your browser - sometimes their mobile interface has bugs that the desktop version doesn't have. The whole system is frustrating but there are definitely ways around the technical issues!

One thing nobody mentions - if you have a 401k loan or any garnishments from your pay, bring documentation of that too. NYS Department of Labor might need to know about it depending on your situation. Better to have it and not need it than the other way around.

Great advice everyone! Just to add - if you've had any name changes in the past 18 months (marriage, divorce, legal name change), bring documentation of that too like marriage certificate or court order. NYS DOL needs to match your SSN with the name on your work records. Also, if you worked for any temporary agencies or had 1099 contract work, gather those records as well since they count toward your work history. The key is being thorough upfront to avoid delays later.

This EXACT same thing happened to me about 3 weeks ago! I was working part-time at a bookstore (about 16 hours/week, making around $200) and boom - "break in claim" message appeared out of nowhere. It's like the system punishes you for trying to work while on unemployment. I tried everything - online portal, messaging system, calling at different times. Finally got through after using that claimyr.com service that everyone's been mentioning (honestly didn't believe it would work but I was desperate). Got connected to an agent in about 45 minutes and she explained that their computer system has some glitch where it automatically flags part-time work as "return to full employment" sometimes. The agent reopened my claim immediately and I got my back payments within a few days. She also made a note on my account so it shouldn't happen again when I report similar hours. The most frustrating part is that you're doing exactly what you're supposed to do - reporting your work honestly - and the system basically breaks because of it. Keep trying to get through, and once you do, it should be a quick fix. The actual resolution is easy, it's just getting to a human that's nearly impossible. Hang in there!

This is such a common problem and it's absolutely maddening! The same thing happened to me when I started doing some freelance writing work - reported everything honestly, worked maybe 12 hours a week making $180, and suddenly got hit with the "break in claim" message. The NY unemployment system seems to have this ridiculous glitch where any part-time work triggers their computer to think you've gone back to full-time employment. It's like they designed it to discourage people from working part-time while collecting benefits, which is completely backwards. I spent almost 2 weeks trying to get through by calling constantly. What finally worked for me was calling at exactly 7:30 AM when they open - I had to redial about 15 times but eventually got through. The agent explained that this is a known issue with their system and was able to reopen my claim in literally 5 minutes. Got all my back payments within a few days after that. One thing the agent told me that might help - try to be super consistent with how you report your hours and earnings each week. Same format, same level of detail. Apparently the system gets confused when there are variations in how the information is entered. I know a bunch of people in this thread have mentioned claimyr.com and honestly, I wish I'd known about it earlier. Would have saved me days of frustration calling on my own. The whole situation is designed to make you give up, but don't! Once you get a human on the line, they can fix it quickly.

Just wanted to say good luck with your claim! Being fired is stressful enough without worrying about whether you'll be able to pay bills. At least unemployment exists to help people in situations like this.

I went through something similar when I got terminated from my office job about 8 months ago. The key thing is to apply right away and be completely honest about what happened. When NYS Department of Labor asks about the reason for separation, explain that you were told it was for performance but you believe it may have been retaliation for raising legitimate workplace concerns. Document everything you can remember about the scheduling complaints you made and when you made them. Even if the adjudication process takes a while, you want to get your claim date established as early as possible since benefits are calculated from when you first file, not when they approve it. Don't let the termination discourage you from applying - plenty of people who were fired still qualify for benefits.