I feel you on this! Just went through the exact same thing last month and it was absolutely maddening. The ID.me verification loop is like being trapped in digital purgatory. What finally worked for me was getting through to a live agent who explained that there was a tiny formatting difference in how my name appeared in their different systems - something I never would have figured out on my own. The agent was able to manually sync the records and I was back in within 10 minutes. Definitely try the claimyr service that others mentioned - I was skeptical at first but they really do get you connected to someone who can actually help. Don't give up, this is totally fixable once you get the right person on the phone! Keep all your documents handy when you call.

Just joined this community after hitting the exact same ID.me verification nightmare! Been locked out for 3 days now and reading through everyone's experiences here is both terrifying and oddly comforting - at least I know I'm not alone in this mess. The loop is driving me absolutely insane and I'm already behind on bills. Going to try claimyr.com right now based on all the success stories here. It's wild that we need a third-party service just to access our own benefits, but desperate times call for desperate measures. Fingers crossed this works! Will update if I get through. Thanks everyone for sharing your solutions - this thread is a lifesaver! 🙏

ugh the adjudication process is SO frustrating!! I've been waiting 4 weeks now and can't get through to anyone at NYS Department of Labor to find out what's going on. They really need to improve their communication about these delays.

just keep filing your weekly claims even during adjudication! thats important so you dont lose benefits for those weeks

Once you file your initial claim, you'll need to file weekly claims every week to keep getting benefits. Don't forget to do this even if your claim is still pending - you can lose weeks of benefits if you don't certify.

Sorry to hear you're going through this stress - layoffs are really tough. One thing I'd add is to start gathering your employment documents now while you still have access to everything. Keep copies of recent pay stubs, your offer letter, and any company handbook info about layoff procedures. Also, if your company offers any severance package, make sure to understand how that might affect your unemployment benefits timing. Some people don't realize that severance can sometimes delay when your benefits start. The good news is that with 2 years of full-time work, you should definitely qualify. Hang in there!

just to add my experience - i was on medical leave for 6 weeks and definitely couldn't get unemployment. but like others said, short term disability through work covered part of my salary during that time. check with your HR department about what benefits you might have had available

I work in HR and deal with these situations regularly. The confusion is totally understandable because the rules can seem contradictory. Here's the bottom line: NYS unemployment requires you to be "able, available, and actively seeking work." Medical leave automatically disqualifies you because you're declaring yourself unable to work. However, there are a few important things to know: 1) If you had short-term disability insurance through your employer or purchased it independently, that would have been the appropriate benefit during your medical leave, 2) Some people don't realize their employer offers disability benefits - it's worth checking with HR even now to understand what was available, and 3) The timing matters - you could potentially file for unemployment AFTER you're medically cleared but before returning to work, if there's a gap. For future reference, always ask HR about all available benefits when taking medical leave - many people miss out on disability benefits they're entitled to.

Just wanted to add my experience as someone who recently went through this process in Buffalo. The $504 maximum is definitely correct for 2025 - I can confirm that personally. One thing that caught me off guard was that even though I qualified for the maximum weekly amount, my first payment was slightly delayed because they had to verify my identity through ID.me. The verification process took about 3-4 business days, so don't panic if there's a short delay beyond the usual waiting period. Also, make sure your direct deposit information is accurate when you set up your account - any errors there can cause additional delays in receiving your payments. The whole system actually worked pretty well once I got through the initial setup. Good luck with your application Grant!

This has been such an informative thread! I'm in a similar boat - just got notice that my position at a tech startup in Rochester is being eliminated next month. Making about $72k so it sounds like I'll also qualify for the $504 maximum. I'm wondering though, does anyone know if there are any differences in the application process or benefit calculations if you get advance notice of a layoff versus being laid off immediately? I have about 3 weeks before my last day, so I'm trying to figure out if I should wait until my actual termination date to file or if there's anything I can do to prepare in advance. Also, has anyone dealt with severance pay and how that affects the timing of when you can start collecting benefits? My company mentioned a small severance package but I'm not sure how that interacts with unemployment eligibility.