I went through this nightmare too a few weeks ago! After failing the photo verification about 12 times, I discovered that the issue was actually my internet connection being too slow. ID.me needs a stable, fast connection to process the facial recognition properly. I switched from my WiFi to my phone's hotspot and it worked immediately. Also, make sure you're holding your device completely still - even tiny movements can cause it to fail. The system is way more sensitive than it should be, but once you figure out the right combination it usually works. Don't give up!

This thread has been so helpful! I'm dealing with the exact same ID.me verification issues right now and it's been driving me crazy. I've tried probably 6 times over the past few days with no luck. Reading through everyone's solutions, I think my main problems are probably using Safari (I'll switch to Chrome) and not having clean enough lighting. I didn't realize glasses could be an issue either - I'll definitely try without them. One question though - for those who did the video call option, do you need to have all your documents ready beforehand or do they tell you what to get during the call? I want to be prepared if the photo thing still doesn't work after trying all these suggestions. Really appreciate everyone sharing their experiences, it makes me feel less alone in this frustrating process!

my brother just went to the actual unemployment office in person and they fixed it on the spot. printed him a new correct one right there. might be worth trying if u live near one

Update for anyone still dealing with this: I finally received my corrected 1099-G form today. It came through my online message center, not by mail. It had a cover letter apologizing for the error and explaining that it was caused by a "data processing anomaly during the annual tax form generation process." So keep checking your online accounts!

I went through the same thing when I first got approved! The waiting week threw me off too - I kept checking my card balance expecting money that wasn't coming yet. Once you get past that first week though, the payments are pretty reliable. I've been getting mine every Wednesday for the past 6 months. Just make sure you have your direct deposit set up if you haven't already, it's way more convenient than the KeyBank card.

I've been on NYS unemployment for about 8 months now and can confirm what others are saying - it's weekly payments, usually hitting your account on Wednesdays if you file your weekly claim on Sunday. The one-week waiting period is standard for everyone's first payment, so don't panic when you don't see money right away. One thing I'd add is to make sure you answer all the weekly certification questions accurately - even small mistakes can trigger a review that delays your payments. And definitely consider switching to direct deposit if you haven't already - the KeyBank debit card has annoying fees and sometimes takes an extra day to load your benefits.

Hey Axel, I know this is incredibly stressful but you're not alone in this. I went through a similar situation about a year ago with NYS Department of Labor over some freelance work I forgot to report properly. The investigation process is scary but they really do distinguish between honest mistakes and intentional fraud. Since your amount was under $1000 and it sounds like genuine oversight rather than deliberate deception, you're much more likely to face an overpayment determination rather than criminal charges. My advice: respond to everything promptly, gather any documentation you have about the work you did, and be completely upfront about the mistake. I ended up having to repay about $600 plus a 15% penalty, but they let me do it in monthly installments over a year. The whole process took about 3 months to resolve. Hang in there - this will get sorted out.

I completely understand your anxiety about this situation - unemployment fraud investigations can feel overwhelming, but there's reason to be cautiously optimistic given your circumstances. Since you're dealing with around $800 in unreported earnings and it was clearly an unintentional oversight rather than deliberate fraud, you're likely looking at an overpayment case rather than criminal prosecution. NYS Department of Labor generally reserves felony charges for cases involving substantial amounts (typically several thousand dollars) and clear evidence of intentional deception. For your situation, the most probable outcome is that you'll need to repay the overpayment plus penalties, possibly with a payment plan option. The key is to respond immediately to their investigation, provide complete documentation of the work you did and earnings you received, and emphasize that the failure to report was an honest mistake. Consider contacting your local legal aid society for free guidance on how to properly respond to the investigation - they can help ensure you handle this correctly from the start.

Call them. That's what I had to do. The website is useless for anything beyond basic stuff.

I had this exact same problem a few months ago! What finally worked for me was logging in early in the morning (like 6-7 AM) when the system is less busy. The payment history section loaded much better and I was able to select the full year range. Also make sure you're using a desktop/laptop instead of mobile - the mobile site cuts off some of the options. If you still can't get the print function to work, try right-clicking on the page and selecting "Print" from your browser menu instead of using their print button. Hope this helps!