Have you tried calling them? I know its a pain, but sometimes you gotta be persistent to get answers.

I'm dealing with a similar overpayment situation right now too! From what I've read in the DOL handbook, they're supposed to send you a notice explaining the recoupment schedule and when benefits should resume. Have you gotten anything like that in writing? Also, I noticed on my online account there's a section that shows the overpayment balance - might be worth checking if yours updates as they deduct. This whole process is so stressful when you're already struggling financially 😔

i had 2 go through this last month. nightmare situation. the number u need is 518-402-0205. BUT good luck getting thru lol. i ended up using this service called claimyr after trying for 3 days straight with no luck. they got me connected to someone in about 30 min and i was able to reschedule. website is claimyr.com if ur desperate like i was

I've been dealing with NY unemployment for months and here's what finally worked for me when I needed to reschedule my hearing: 1. Try calling 518-402-0205 (the direct hearings line) at exactly 7:59am and keep hitting redial until 8:15am. This narrow window is your best shot. 2. If that fails, go to your local Career Center in person with your hearing notice. The staff there can access the hearings system directly and reschedule you on the spot. I drove 45 minutes to mine but it was worth avoiding the phone nightmare. 3. As a backup, send a certified letter to the address on your hearing notice explaining your medical procedure and requesting a reschedule. Include your claim number, contact info, and preferred dates. At least you'll have proof you tried to contact them. The system is intentionally frustrating but don't give up! Missing the hearing without notice will automatically rule against you. Also document every attempt you make to contact them - screenshots of call logs, emails, etc. This will help if you need to appeal later. Hope this helps and good luck with your medical procedure!

I went through this exact situation last year with my photography LLC. Since you mentioned having W-2 wages from your part-time job, that's actually really important - those wages likely make you eligible for benefits even with the LLC. The key is being completely transparent about your business status when you file. I had to provide documentation showing my LLC had essentially no income and wasn't actively operating. NYS Department of Labor will want to know if you're available for work and actively seeking employment, which can be tricky if you're still technically operating the business. I'd recommend gathering all your financial records for both the LLC and your W-2 job before filing, and be prepared to explain that while you own the LLC, you're not currently generating income from it and are seeking traditional employment.

I'm dealing with a very similar situation right now - I have an LLC that I set up for consulting work, but contracts have completely disappeared over the past few months. From what I've researched, the fact that you had W-2 wages from your part-time job is actually really good news for your eligibility. NYS Department of Labor looks at your "base period" wages to determine benefits, and W-2 income definitely counts toward that. The tricky part is proving that your LLC isn't actively operating versus just being slow. I've been told by others in similar situations that you need to be very clear that you're seeking traditional W-2 employment and not just waiting for freelance work to pick up. Document everything - bank statements showing minimal business income, any steps you've taken to wind down operations, and your active job search for regular employment. The key seems to be demonstrating that you're genuinely unemployed and available for work, not just a business owner having a rough patch.

Just avoid prepaid debit cards if possible. Some of those have fees that eat into your benefits. Stick with a regular checking or savings account at an established bank or credit union.

I can confirm that both Bank of America and credit unions work fine with NYS unemployment direct deposit. I've been using my local credit union for over a year without any issues. The main thing is just making sure it's a legitimate financial institution that can receive ACH transfers. When you set it up on the NY.gov website, they'll verify the routing number automatically, so you'll know right away if there are any compatibility issues.

Wow, reading through all these experiences is incredibly helpful! I'm in the exact same situation as the original poster and was totally confused about the order of steps. It sounds like the consensus is definitely ID.me verification first, then unemployment application. I'm planning to tackle this next week and feel so much more prepared now thanks to everyone's detailed tips - especially about doing it during off-peak hours, having backup documents ready, and using the mobile app. It's reassuring to see that while some people had challenges, many recent experiences have been pretty smooth. Thanks to everyone for sharing their real-world experiences - this is exactly the kind of practical advice that the official websites don't provide!

I just went through the ID.me verification process this morning and wanted to share my experience while it's still fresh! Like many others have mentioned, yes you definitely need to complete ID.me first before you can access the NY unemployment application. I followed the advice from this thread about doing it during off-peak hours (around 10:30am on a Thursday) and it made a huge difference - only had to wait about 8 minutes for video verification. One thing I didn't see mentioned here: make sure you're in a room with minimal background noise because the agent asked me to repeat some information when a car honked outside. Also, they had me turn my head left and right during the video call to match my ID photo angles, so don't be surprised by that. The whole process took about 25 minutes total, and I was able to immediately start my unemployment application afterward. Having read through all these experiences beforehand really helped me feel prepared and confident going in. Thanks everyone for sharing your tips!