I finally got through to someone on the phone after trying all week! They confirmed they're reviewing old cases from 2020-2022 and many people need to resubmit their waiver forms. The agent said it's because they're using new federal guidelines to evaluate old cases and some people might actually qualify for waivers now who didn't before. So I guess it could be good news for some people? Anyway, they're giving everyone until March 31st to respond, even though the letters say different deadlines.

This is incredibly frustrating! I'm in the exact same boat - got the email yesterday referencing a letter I never received, and I completed my waiver back in 2021 too. Based on what everyone's saying here, it sounds like this is a widespread issue with their system overhaul. I'm going to log into my NY.gov account right now and look for that OVP-25 form. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - at least now I know I'm not going crazy and this isn't just happening to me! Really appreciate all the helpful advice about the March 31st deadline and the new federal guidelines.

Just wanted to add that if you're still having issues with ID.me, another thing that helped me was making sure my face was completely centered in the camera frame and holding very still during the scan. Also, remove any glasses or hats if you're wearing them - even if your ID photo has them. The system is super picky about matching exactly what it sees. I also found that having a plain white or light colored wall behind you works better than a busy background. Hope your video appointment goes well tomorrow!

For anyone else struggling with ID.me, I wanted to share what finally worked for me after weeks of failed attempts. I was getting the same "Unable to verify identity" errors on multiple devices. What ended up working was: 1. Using incognito/private browsing mode 2. Disabling any ad blockers or browser extensions 3. Making sure my internet connection was stable (used ethernet instead of WiFi) 4. Taking the photo during mid-morning when lighting was consistent The key thing that made the difference was actually updating my browser to the latest version - apparently ID.me has compatibility issues with older browser versions. Also, if you wear contacts, try taking them out for the verification - I read somewhere that the reflections can interfere with the facial recognition. Hope this helps someone avoid the frustration I went through! The video chat option is definitely worth trying if all else fails.

I've been researching this too since I'm potentially looking at relocating. From what I've found, Massachusetts actually does have higher maximum benefits (around $855/week) like your brother mentioned, but the cost of living adjustment makes it less impressive. Washington state is another good one - they have high benefits and no state income tax. New Jersey is solid too with benefits up to $713/week. But honestly, @Emma Morales makes a good point - the real value is in landing a good job quickly rather than optimizing for unemployment benefits you hopefully won't need long-term. Have you considered looking at job markets in different states as your primary factor?

I've been through unemployment in both NY and California, and honestly NY's system is much more manageable. While CA has higher maximum benefits (around $450-$850 depending on your previous earnings), their EDD system is notoriously difficult to navigate and has massive delays. NY's $504 max isn't the highest, but the processing is generally more reliable. If you're thinking about relocating, I'd recommend looking at states like Washington (great benefits, no state income tax, strong job market) or Minnesota (good benefits duration and solid worker protections). But honestly, focus your energy on networking and job applications rather than benefit shopping - the best unemployment benefit is the one you don't have to use for long!

This happened to my wife. The letter is legit but here's the thing - they are VERY picky about the content. Her first letter got rejected because she didn't "provide sufficient cause" for backdating. Second letter we were super specific about why she couldn't file (our internet was out for 3 weeks due to a storm, then she was in the hospital, etc). The more barriers you can list that prevented you from filing, the better chance you have. Don't just say you didn't know you should file.

I went through this exact same situation last year! The letter is definitely legit - it's called a "Request for Backdating" and NY requires it for any benefits more than 7 days before your filing date. In your case, since you filed in August but were unemployed since May, that's why they need the letter. Here's what worked for me: Keep it simple and factual. Explain that you were laid off on May 23rd but initially thought it might be temporary, so you delayed filing thinking you'd be called back. By the time you realized the layoff was permanent, several months had passed. Include your full name, claim ID, SSN (last 4), and phone number. Send it to the address Logan mentioned above, and definitely use certified mail. I got my backpay about 5-6 weeks after they received my letter. The key is following up every couple weeks to make sure it's being processed. Don't let them forget about you! You're entitled to those payments if you were eligible during that time period.

If you're having trouble reaching NYS Department of Labor by phone to ask questions about your claim duration, I used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get through to an actual agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. I was stuck trying to call for weeks about my adjudication issue.

Just make sure you don't mess up your weekly claims because they can be really strict about that stuff. I missed one week by accident and it took forever to get it sorted out.