just go online and fill it out its not that hard lol. my.ny.gov unemployment section

Hey Royal_GM_Mark! I went through this exact same thing a few months ago when I got laid off from my restaurant job. Here's what worked for me: First, gather all your info - SSN, address history, and employment details for the past 18 months (company names, addresses, dates worked, reason for leaving). Then go to my.ny.gov and create an account. Look for "Unemployment Services" and click "File a Claim." The system will ask you questions about your work history and why you're unemployed. Answer everything honestly - they'll contact your employer to verify anyway. The whole process took me about 30-45 minutes. Most importantly, file TODAY if you can - you can't get benefits for weeks before you file, even if you were eligible. After your initial claim is approved, you'll need to certify for benefits every week. Don't let the website overwhelm you - just take it one step at a time!

Dont waste time trying to call them. I waited on hold for 4hrs yesterday only to be disconnected. I finally broke down and used claimyr.com after seeing it mentioned here. Got a callback with an actual agent within 40 mins. He fixed my address issue and now my payments are processing again. It was the only way I could talk to a live agent after weeks of trying.

This is SO frustrating but unfortunately super common with NY unemployment. I went through the exact same thing last year when I moved from Syracuse to NYC. The address change basically puts your account under review for fraud prevention, but they don't tell you that! What finally worked for me was calling first thing at 8am sharp and selecting the "technical issues" option instead of the general line - seemed to have shorter wait times. Also make sure you have ALL your documents ready: lease agreement, utility bill with new address, photo ID, etc. In the meantime, definitely reach out to your local assembly member's office like others mentioned. They have direct contacts at DOL and can often get things moving faster. Don't give up - your backpay should come through once they verify everything. Hang in there! 💪

Quick tip: check your payment history on the website. If it says 'released' with todays date, you should see it within 1-3 business days depending on your bank. Direct deposit is usually faster than debit card. Also make sure your banking info is correct on file. If you need to update banking info and cant do it online, use claimyr.com to get through to an agent fast. Hope this helps!

Usually takes 1-2 business days with most banks once it shows "released". I have Capital One and it typically hits my account the next morning around 6am. Just be patient - the money is coming! Also make sure you didn't accidentally change your direct deposit info recently, that can delay things.

Just want to add that you also need to file your weekly claims every week once your initial application is approved, even if your claim is still under review or adjudication. Missing those weekly filings can cause delays or loss of benefits for those weeks.

Just to add some perspective from someone who went through this recently - I got laid off from a warehouse job in Buffalo back in March and filed my claim about 10 days after losing my job. While I didn't lose eligibility (since it was well within the one year window), I definitely lost those 10 days worth of benefits that I could have received if I had filed immediately. The application itself only took about 30 minutes online, so my advice would be don't overthink it - just get it done as soon as you can. The longer you wait, the more money you're potentially leaving on the table, even though you won't lose your right to file completely.

I feel ur pain man. The ny unemployment system is an absolute joke 🤡 I literally had to use claimyr.com after 2 months of getting nowhere with ID.me and the regular phone lines. Within 2 days of using that service I had an agent sort my claim and money hit my account 3 days later.

I'm dealing with something similar right now! Been stuck in ID.me limbo for 6 weeks after my initial verification failed. What I've learned from lurking in forums is that there are actually multiple paths to resolution: 1. The nuclear option: Contact your state assemblyperson or senator's office. They have direct lines to DOL and can often get ID.me requirements waived entirely. I just submitted a request to mine yesterday. 2. For ID.me specifically: Try the "trusted referee" video chat option if it becomes available after failed attempts. Yes the wait is brutal (3-4 hours) but you get a real human who can manually verify you. 3. The bypass route: Services like claimyr.com that connect you directly to NY DOL agents who can sometimes override the ID.me requirement altogether. 4. Last resort: Create a completely new ID.me account with a different email if your current one is flagged beyond repair. The whole system is absolutely broken - forcing us to use a third-party verification company that's clearly overwhelmed. Hang in there, there ARE ways through this maze even though it shouldn't be this hard to access our own benefits.