Just went through this exact same thing last month! Had to register with the Career Center even though I was already working with a job coach through my union's retraining program. It's definitely redundant but they won't budge on this requirement. The good news is registration only took about 20 minutes online and I could immediately see my benefits were processed again within 2 days. Your library job coach program absolutely counts toward your weekly work search activities - just make sure to document those meetings! Don't let this drag on any longer, the sooner you register the sooner your payments will resume.

I'm dealing with something similar right now - got laid off from my retail job in January and my benefits just got suspended last week for the same reason. It's so frustrating because I'm already working with a career counselor through my local community college who's been helping me with job applications and interview prep. From reading all these responses it sounds like I definitely need to bite the bullet and register with the Career Center even though it seems pointless. Has anyone found the Career Center resources actually useful, or is it really just a formality? I don't want to waste time on their workshops if my current counselor is already covering everything I need.

Just want to add that even if you think you have good cause, there's no guarantee NYS Department of Labor will see it the same way. The adjudication process can be really subjective and you might end up fighting it for months. Make sure you have a backup plan for income if your claim gets denied initially.

Another thing to consider is that even with good cause, you'll need to meet all the other eligibility requirements too. You'll still need to be actively searching for work, available for full-time employment, and meet the monetary requirements based on your earnings history. With your hours already cut to 15/week, make sure you've earned enough in your base period to qualify for benefits. You can check your wage history on the NYS Department of Labor website before making any decisions.

same thing happened to my brother but he ended up being fine after he submitted additional documentation

I'm sorry you're going through this stress. I haven't been audited myself yet, but from what I've read, the most important thing is to gather all your documentation now - save emails, screenshots of job applications, any correspondence with employers, even rejection letters if you have them. The NYS DOL wants to see that you made genuine efforts to find work, not just went through the motions. Keep detailed records of dates, company names, positions applied for, and how you applied (online, in person, etc.). If you do end up owing money back, don't ignore it - they have ways to collect including tax refund intercepts. But like others said, you have appeal rights and they do work with people on payment plans.

UPDATE: I finally got this resolved! For anyone with similar problems, here's what worked: 1. I used Claimyr to get through to NYSDOL (took 1.5 hours instead of endless busy signals) 2. The agent connected me with their special ID.me support team 3. They found that my identity was linked to an old account created when I briefly looked into unemployment in 2023 but never completed an application 4. They unlinked my ID from the old account and reset my verification status 5. I had to go through ID.me verification again, but this time it worked perfectly Thank you everyone for your help! I should receive all my back payments within 3-5 business days.

Wow, what a journey! I'm dealing with a similar ID.me nightmare right now - been waiting 3 weeks for any kind of response from them. Your post gives me hope that there's actually a way through this mess. I had no idea about the Claimyr service or that NYSDOL has a special ID.me support team. Question for anyone who's been through this - when you finally get verified, do they automatically process all your missed weekly certifications, or do you have to go back and manually certify for each week you missed? I'm worried about losing weeks of benefits because of their broken system. Thanks Logan for sharing your resolution steps - I'm going to try the Claimyr route tomorrow!

Please update us when you start getting paid! I'm curious how long it'll take for your backpay to come through after such a long delay. My claim was nowhere near as old as yours.

Congratulations on finally getting some movement on your claim! Two years is absolutely insane - I can't imagine the stress you've been through. I had a similar situation last year (though only 6 months, not 2 years!) and that email is definitely good news. A few things to watch out for based on my experience: - Double-check that all your certified weeks show up in the payment history once they start processing - Save screenshots of everything as proof - If any weeks seem missing, contact them immediately because it's easier to fix while the backpay is actively being processed The waiting is almost over! Really hoping you get every penny you're owed after this nightmare delay.