I'm having the exact same problem! Been trying to file my claim for the past 3 days and keep getting booted out around the same spot where it asks about job separation details. Reading through all these comments has been super helpful though - I had no idea the timing mattered so much or that Safari could be causing issues. I've been trying during my lunch break every day (probably the worst time based on what everyone's saying here). Going to try tonight around 11pm using Chrome with everything cleared like others suggested. It's honestly crazy that we need to become tech experts just to file for unemployment, but I'm grateful for this community sharing all these workarounds. Fingers crossed the late night approach works! Will report back if I'm successful.

This is such a relief to find this thread! I've been banging my head against the wall for the past two days trying to get my unemployment claim submitted. Same exact issue - gets about halfway through and then just dumps me back to the beginning with no explanation whatsoever. I've been trying during regular business hours on Safari, so based on everyone's advice here I'm clearly doing everything wrong! Going to wait until after 10pm tonight and switch to Chrome. Also going to write down all my employment info first so I can speed through it if I get a good session. The fact that this is such a widespread problem and there's no official guidance from NYSDOL about it is pretty infuriating. Thank goodness for communities like this where we can actually help each other figure out the workarounds. Will definitely update if the nighttime Chrome approach works for me!

Just got approved for benefits yesterday and I'm in the exact same situation! Already switched to direct deposit after reading all these comments - seems like the smart move. It's so reassuring to see everyone's consistent 7-10 business day timeline for the Way2Go card. I was stressing about whether I should call and request a replacement, but sounds like I just need to be patient. Really helpful to understand that old payments will be on the card but new ones go straight to my bank account. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - makes this whole process way less confusing! 🙏

Just went through this same thing a couple months ago! My Way2Go card took exactly 8 business days to arrive. You're super smart switching to direct deposit right away - I waited way too long to do that and regretted it. Just to add to what others have said, make sure you activate the card as soon as it arrives even though you switched to direct deposit, because any payments that were already processed before your switch will be sitting on there. The online portal is really helpful for tracking which payments went where. Also, if you don't get it by day 10, definitely call - but based on everyone's timeline here, you should be good! The waiting is the worst part but you're handling it right 👍

I just went through this exact same process two weeks ago and wanted to share what worked for me! Yes, ID.me is 100% required now - no exceptions. I was super anxious about it too, especially after reading horror stories online, but it was actually much smoother than expected. Here's what made the difference for me: I used my desktop computer (not my phone), did it in the afternoon with plenty of natural light from my living room window, had my driver's license ready, and most importantly - I didn't rush through it. The facial recognition worked on my first try, and the whole verification took about 18 minutes. After completing ID.me, it took exactly 2 days for my NY unemployment account to become fully active. One thing I wish someone had told me: save your ID.me login credentials somewhere safe because you'll need them every single time you access your benefits. Also, if you wear glasses regularly, keep them on during the selfie portion - I almost took mine off but read that it's better to look natural. You've got this!

I went through the ID.me verification process just last month and wanted to share some additional tips that might help! Yes, it's absolutely mandatory now - no way around it. The process itself isn't too bad once you know what to expect. A few things that really helped me: 1) Clear your browser cache before starting, 2) Close all other browser tabs to free up memory, 3) Make sure your webcam drivers are up to date, and 4) have a backup form of ID ready just in case (passport if you have one). The lighting advice everyone's giving is spot on - I did mine around 2 PM near a big window and it worked perfectly. One thing I didn't see mentioned yet: if you have a really common name, the system might take a bit longer to verify you're the right person, so don't panic if it seems to be processing longer than expected. Also, once you're done with ID.me, bookmark the NY DOL login page because sometimes the redirect from ID.me can be slow. The whole thing took me about 25 minutes including one retry on the facial recognition part. Hang in there - it's just one hurdle and then you're good to go with your claim!

THE WHOLE SYSTEM IS DESIGNED TO KEEP PEOPLE DOWN! How are you supposed to get back on your feet if they take more than half your unemployment? And don't even get me started on how impossible it is to reach anyone at NYS Department of Labor to ask questions about this stuff.

I went through this same situation a couple years ago. The garnishment typically starts automatically once the child support office gets notified by NYS DOL that you're receiving benefits - you don't need to tell them yourself. In my case, they took about 58% of my weekly benefit amount since I had arrears. One thing that helped me was calling the child support enforcement office directly to set up a payment plan that worked better with my reduced income. They were actually more reasonable than I expected and we worked out a temporary modification while I was unemployed. Also keep all your documentation showing the garnishment amounts in case you need to dispute anything later.

This is absolutely infuriating that this is happening to so many people! I've been following this thread and it's clear this is a major issue with the unemployment system. For anyone dealing with this - I'd also recommend checking if you've received any debit cards or mail from ReliaCard (the company that handles NY unemployment payments) that you didn't expect. Sometimes that's the first sign people notice. Also, if you have trouble getting through to the fraud hotline, try calling first thing in the morning when they open - I've heard the wait times are shorter then. Stay strong OP, it sounds like most people who report it quickly get it resolved within a few weeks!

I'm so sorry this happened to you! As someone who went through a similar identity theft situation (not unemployment related but still scary), I wanted to add that you should also consider filing a report with the Federal Trade Commission at IdentityTheft.gov. They'll create a personalized recovery plan and give you an affidavit that can be helpful when dealing with NYS Department of Labor and other agencies. Also, keep detailed records of every phone call, email, and document - write down names, dates, reference numbers, everything. It might seem excessive now but it really helps if you need to escalate or if there are any lingering issues later. The good news is that you caught this early and everyone here is giving you solid advice. You've got this!