Contact the Taxpayer Advocate Service! They helped me when I had a similar issue last year with my amended return and benefits. They're free and they can often resolve issues faster than waiting for normal IRS processing.

Thank you all for the helpful responses! I've decided to: 1) Set aside 20% of my child tax credit payments just in case, 2) Try using Claimyr to actually get through to someone who can give me specific answers about my situation, and 3) Contact the Taxpayer Advocate Service as a backup. I really appreciate all the advice - this has been keeping me up at night!

Hi there, I work as a career counselor and help people with unemployment issues frequently. There's currently a known issue with the NY unemployment portal for returning claimants who haven't filed since before the January 2025 system upgrade. The official workaround from NYSDOL is to: 1. Clear your browser cache and cookies completely 2. Close your browser entirely and reopen it 3. Log in to your NY.gov ID account 4. Go to "My NY.gov" dashboard (not directly to unemployment) 5. Select "Department of Labor" from the available services 6. Choose "Unemployment Insurance" 7. Then look for "Start a New Claim Application" If that doesn't work, there's unfortunately a backlog of accounts needing manual updates from the technical team. In that case, you would need to reach an agent by phone to request they enable the new claim option on your account.

UPDATE: I finally got it working! It was a combination of issues. I followed the steps from the career counselor, disabled my ad blocker, AND had to use Edge instead of Chrome (even though someone suggested Chrome would work better). The button appeared exactly where it should have been all along. For anyone else having this problem, try multiple browsers and definitely clear your cache/cookies. Thanks everyone for your help!

One more important detail: after they process your retroactive certification, make sure to check your payment history daily. The payments likely won't come all at once - they'll release them individually as they process each week. If you don't see movement within 7-10 business days, call back and reference your previous call (have the date and representative's name if possible).

update us if u get ur $$$ thru! dealing w/the same issue rn so would love to know what works

UPDATE: I finally got through to someone who could actually help! Used that Claimyr service (thanks for recommending it!) and got connected to an agent in about 15 minutes. The agent confirmed my correction was sitting in a review queue and hadn't been fully processed. They escalated it to a supervisor who approved it while I was on the phone. Payment should be released tomorrow! So relieved right now.

FINAL UPDATE: The money hit my account this morning! For anyone else who makes a certification mistake - make sure you speak with someone who can actually approve the correction, not just submit it. Regular agents seem to give standard timeframes that aren't accurate for these special cases. Huge relief to finally have this resolved.

any update? did ur payment go thru yet?

Just received an update from a colleague who works with NYSDOL claims. They confirmed the current processing time for first-time part-time work reports is approximately 4-5 business days. You should see your claim update by early next week if you reported it earlier this week.

Quick update: NYSDOL just announced they're extending their phone hours starting next Monday. They'll be operating from 7:30am to 6:00pm instead of 8:00am to 5:00pm. That might help more people get through. Also, definitely consider contacting your local Assembly member's office as suggested above - they have direct channels to unemployment staff.

Just wanted to follow up - were you able to get through? I know how stressful this can be when you're waiting on benefits or need to make an important update.

my cousin says avoid using the same exact phrases when documenting diff jobs cause the AI system flags it as suspicious if it looks like you copied and pasted the same info for different applications

Final piece of advice - in your appeal, be professional but also human. Explain your situation clearly, acknowledge any mistakes you might have made in record-keeping (without admitting to fraud, which you didn't commit), and emphasize that any errors were unintentional. Mention financial hardship if applicable. Appeals judges are looking for honesty and good faith efforts to comply with the rules. I've seen many initial denials overturned on appeal when the person shows they genuinely tried to follow the requirements.

anyone know what happens if you miss certifying for ONE day during this daily requirement thing? do you lose that day's benefits forever or can you make it up somehow?

Update: You all were right! I just checked today and my certification is back to weekly now. It lasted exactly 3 weeks of daily certification. Looks like it was just temporary verification like many of you mentioned. Thanks everyone for your help!

Has anyone tried the virtual appointments? I did one last month and it was actually pretty decent. They use some video chat system and the agent could see my documents through the camera. Might be faster than waiting for an in-person slot.

Quick update for anyone following this thread - just wanted to let you know I tried that Claimyr service that someone recommended above. It actually worked! Got through to an agent in about 35 minutes (which is WAY better than the hours I was spending trying to call myself). The agent was able to see that my claim had an "identity verification" flag on it, which is why I had that mysterious "outstanding issue." Apparently some documents I uploaded didn't go through properly. She helped me resubmit everything, and said my payments should resume within 3-5 business days. So thankful I don't have to wait for that in-person appointment now!

the online system is HORRIBLE for partial benefits!! I applied last week and it kept asking me weird questions about why I was applying while employed. Then it said I was denied but when I called they said that was an error and I actually was approved?! No idea what's going on with their system but definitely CALL if the website gives you any problems

To clarify some confusion in this thread: Yes, you still need to meet the basic eligibility requirements to open a new claim. In NY, you need to have worked and earned a certain amount during your base period (usually the first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters before filing). And to answer the question about work search: if you're working part-time but collecting partial benefits, you DO still need to do and document at least 3 work search activities per week. Even though you're working, the system requires this as you're still receiving benefits. Your part-time job doesn't count toward these activities. Keep a detailed log of your work search activities - the DOL has been conducting more audits in 2025.