I work in HR and see this happen occasionally. As long as you contact NYS Department of Labor promptly and haven't received any benefit payments, it's usually a non-issue. Your employer might get a notice but most understand that people explore their options during uncertain times.

I went through this same exact situation about 6 months ago! Filed by mistake when I thought I was getting laid off, then my manager called me back for reduced hours. I was panicking thinking I'd get in trouble. Called NYS DOL and explained - they were actually pretty understanding about it. The rep told me it happens more than you'd think. They just marked my claim as "voluntarily withdrawn" and that was it. No issues with my employer either, they barely mentioned the notification they got. Don't stress too much about it, just call them ASAP and be honest about the mistake.

Just to give you some hope - I had the exact issue (wrong last work date) and finally got it resolved last month. Took about 3 months total but I did get ALL my back pay once they fixed it. Stay persistent and document everything!

I'm dealing with something similar right now! My system shows I last worked in August 2020 but I actually got laid off in April. It's been 3 months of trying to get this fixed and I'm getting nowhere with the regular phone lines. Reading through these comments, it sounds like using claimyr.com or contacting my state rep might be my best bets. Has anyone had luck with the state rep route recently? I'm in Queens if that matters. Also @StardustSeeker - definitely try calling right at 8am like someone mentioned. I've had slightly better luck early morning vs afternoon calls, though still haven't gotten through to someone who can actually help yet. This whole situation is so frustrating when you know it's just a simple data error that should take 5 minutes to fix 😤

If u cant get through to anyone, contact your local news station. I swear this works. My cousin's unemployment fraud case was dragging on for months until she contacted the 'fighting for you' segment on channel 7. They did a story and her case was resolved in a week.

This is absolutely infuriating and unfortunately becoming way too common. I went through something similar last year - found out someone had been collecting my benefits for 3 months while I was struggling to pay rent. Here's what worked for me: 1. Document EVERYTHING - screenshot your account showing the fraudulent changes, save all emails/communications 2. Contact your state assemblyperson AND senator - not just one. Their offices have direct lines to the unemployment department 3. File complaints with both the NY State Attorney General and the federal DOL fraud hotline 4. If you have a local unemployment office, show up in person with all your documentation - sometimes physical presence gets results when calls don't I also ended up using one of those callback services (claimyr) that others mentioned - was skeptical but it actually got me connected to a real person who could escalate my case. Took about 8 weeks total but I did get all my stolen benefits back plus the ones I was owed. The system is broken but don't give up. Keep pushing from multiple angles - the squeaky wheel gets the grease with these agencies. Hang in there!

One more thing nobody mentioned - check your email spam folder! When I had ID issues, NYSDOL actually sent me special instructions but they went to spam. Worth checking just in case!

@OP - were you able to get through to someone? If you're still stuck, I also had luck emailing my local state assembly member's office. They have special liaisons at unemployment who can sometimes expedite these cases, especially when there's a technical issue like ID.me verification problems.

Same thing happened to me but with my car breaking down constantly. Filed anyway and got approved after they investigated. The key is showing it wasn't intentional misconduct.

I work in HR and can tell you that attendance issues don't automatically disqualify you from unemployment benefits. The NYS Department of Labor looks at whether the behavior was willful misconduct or due to circumstances beyond your control. Childcare emergencies can be considered compelling circumstances. Make sure to file your claim immediately and be completely honest about the situation. Keep any documentation you have about the childcare issues - texts, emails, etc. Even if your claim goes to adjudication, don't give up. Many people win their appeals when they can show the attendance problems weren't due to deliberate misconduct.