I'm dealing with the exact same nightmare right now! Been calling for over a week and it's driving me insane. What really gets me is that automated message - "your call is important to us" - like if it was actually important they'd answer the phone! I've tried calling at literally every hour they're open and it's always the same story. The worst part is you can't even get in a queue, it just hangs up on you. I'm going to try some of the tips mentioned here like calling right at 8am and that alternative number. This whole system feels designed to make you give up before you even get started. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - at least I know I'm not alone in this mess!

OMG I could have written this post myself! I've been going through the exact same torture for the past week and a half. That stupid automated message plays in my nightmares at this point 😭 I've literally tried calling over 40 times at different hours and NOTHING. The system is absolutely broken and it feels intentional at this point. One thing I discovered though - if you call and get that message, don't hang up immediately. Sometimes if you wait like 30-45 seconds it will actually say something different or give you menu options. It's rare but it happened to me twice (though I still didn't get through to a person). Also saw people mentioning Claimyr and I'm honestly tempted to try it at this point because I'm running out of options and patience. Has anyone else here actually used it successfully? I'm usually skeptical of these services but desperate times... Hang in there @Omar Hassan - we're all in this nightmare together!

I remember last summer when I was collecting, I got so confused about the whole "effective days" thing. Kept thinking I was getting shorted money. Turns out NY unemployment has this weird way of calculating where each day equals 1/4 of your weekly benefit. Anyone else find that super confusing?

Just want to add that your friend should also make sure he meets the basic eligibility requirements before applying. He needs to have worked and earned wages in at least 2 of the last 4 calendar quarters, and his job loss can't be due to misconduct or quitting without good cause. If he was laid off from the warehouse (which sounds like the case), he should be fine. The good news is that warehouse workers often have straightforward cases since layoffs are usually clearly documented. Hope this helps and good luck to your friend!

I just went through this same nightmare last month! What finally worked for me was using a different device entirely - I borrowed my roommate's tablet and it went through on the first try. Sometimes ID.me just doesn't play nice with certain device/browser combinations for reasons nobody can explain. Also make sure you're not using any VPN or proxy - that can mess with their location verification. If you're still stuck, try doing it at a different time of day too. I found early morning (like 7-8 AM) worked better than peak hours when their servers are probably overloaded. Hope this helps!

I just want to add something that helped me when I was stuck on the ID.me verification for weeks - if you have any browser extensions running (especially password managers, ad blockers, or privacy tools like Ghostery), try disabling ALL of them temporarily. I know it sounds like overkill, but ID.me's upload system is really sensitive to anything that might interfere with their scripts. I was pulling my hair out until I tried a completely clean browser session with no extensions, and suddenly everything worked. Also, if you're on mobile, try enabling "Desktop Site" mode in your browser - sometimes their mobile interface has bugs that the desktop version doesn't have. The whole system is frustrating but there are definitely ways around the technical issues!

This whole system is ridiculous! They expect you to live on practically nothing while still taking out the same child support as if you're making full wages. How are we supposed to pay rent AND child support on $400 a week??

You should definitely contact the Support Collection Unit directly to confirm your specific situation. While automatic deductions are common, the timing can vary - sometimes it takes a few weeks for the systems to sync up between NYS DOL and child support enforcement. In the meantime, I'd recommend setting aside what you normally pay so you don't fall behind if the automatic deduction hasn't kicked in yet. Also keep all your unemployment documentation - you may need it if you decide to request a modification later.

just quit my job last month and got denied immediately... didn't know about the good cause thing. can i appeal or am i screwed?

The whole system is so unfair. They make it nearly impossible to prove 'good cause' unless you have perfect documentation. Most people don't think to document harassment when it's happening because they're just trying to survive the situation.