One more thing to consider: If you don't qualify for regular UI because you don't have enough recent work history, check if you're eligible for any other assistance programs. Depending on your situation, you might qualify for other types of support while you're looking for more stable employment.

To answer your question about minimum earnings: for a 2025 claim in NY, you generally need to have: 1. Worked in at least two calendar quarters of your base period 2. Earned at least $3,700 in one of those quarters 3. Total earnings of at least 1.5 times your highest quarter earnings across your entire base period So your part-time work at the end of 2024 might qualify if it meets these thresholds. When you call, ask specifically about whether your recent work history is sufficient for a new claim. And as suggested above, look into other assistance programs like SNAP (food stamps) or HEAP (energy assistance) if you're struggling financially while job searching.

Just checking back - did you manage to get through to someone? The ID.me issue should definitely be fixable, but they sometimes need to manually verify your identity.

Glad you got it resolved! For anyone else reading this with similar issues - the NY DOL has also added a virtual assistant chat feature on their website that can handle some basic account issues without needing to call. It won't solve everything, but it can help with password resets and some verification problems.

my cousin works for nysdol. says theres a HUGE backlog right now of reapplications. theyre like 3 weeks behind in processing. its not just you!!!

UPDATE: I finally got through to someone at NYSDOL! Used that Claimyr service mentioned above and got connected in about 25 minutes after trying for over a week on my own with no luck. The agent told me my claim had a "verification hold" because I had worked for 3 different employers during my previous benefit year. They needed to manually review those wages even though I had reported everything correctly each week. The good news is she removed the hold right away, and my payments should process overnight! She also said I'll receive all the back payments for the weeks I certified. Such a relief! Thanks everyone for your help and suggestions.

One additional point that might be helpful: Once you do file your new claim, make a note of your confirmation number and take a screenshot if possible. The NY unemployment system occasionally loses new applications during peak filing periods, and having proof of your submission date and confirmation number can help if you need to follow up.

Thank you everyone for the advice! To summarize what I'll do: I'll certify my final 4 days this Sunday, wait until I see the payment status change to "paid" in my account (probably Wednesday or Thursday), and then file a new claim online. I'll also prepare for a possible 1-2 week gap before the new payments start coming in. It's frustrating that there's a gap, but at least now I can plan for it.

Does anyone know if there are system updates happening? I swear they ALWAYS do these things without warning us. Last time they updated the website I couldn't log in for 3 days! So typical of NY unemployment to just leave us hanging!!!

UPDATE: Just checked this morning and the payment is now showing as pending! Looks like it was just delayed processing. Thanks everyone for your help and reassurance.

anyone else notice they're way slower processing claims this year compared to last year?? my claim in 2024 was way faster

Just wanted to update everyone - I FINALLY got through to someone at NYSDOL! I used the Claimyr service mentioned above and got connected to an agent in about 20 minutes (after trying for weeks on my own with no luck). Turns out my claim had a random "additional verification needed" flag on it, even though I'd already done ID.me. The agent was able to clear it immediately and said I should see all my back payments within 3-5 business days. She couldn't explain why it got flagged or why nobody contacted me about it. Thank you all for your help and suggestions! For anyone else stuck in ID.me verification limbo - definitely try to speak with an actual person rather than just waiting. The system doesn't seem to resolve these issues automatically.

i ended up just using my bf's chase account cuz i got tired of waiting lol. not ideal but whatever works

Update: I finally got through on the phone this morning (called right when they opened at 8am). The rep said they're aware of the Chime issue and they have to manually override something in their system to make it work. My deposit went through to my Chime account today with no problems! So definitely worth trying to reach someone by phone.

Tax advisor here. A few important points about NY unemployment 1099-Gs: 1. They must be issued by January 31st by law 2. They're now primarily digital - paper copies are only mailed if you specifically requested that option 3. If you don't receive your form by February 5th, don't wait - contact NYSDOL immediately 4. You can request a duplicate or corrected 1099-G through your online account or by phone 5. Remember to check that the tax withholding amount (if you elected withholding) is correctly reflected Double-check all information carefully - errors on 1099-Gs are more common than you might think and can cause issues with the IRS if your reported income doesn't match their records.

Just wanted to update everyone - I just checked my account and my 1099-G for 2024 is already posted! They must be releasing them in batches. Mine shows it was generated yesterday. The navigation is a bit different this year though. I had to go to My Online Forms > Tax Documents > 2024 to find it.

am i the only one who thinks it's RIDICULOUS they demand all this paperwork years later?? like we already qualified once! why are they making us prove everything again?? the whole system is designed to be impossible to navigate so they can deny people!

Thanks everyone for the advice! I'm feeling much less panicked now. I've collected my bank statements showing the deposits, found some old work emails in my archive, and I reached out to my former supervisor who agreed to write a statement. I'm also requesting my tax transcript from the IRS today. Will try calling DOL tomorrow to explain my situation and see if they can add notes to my file. I'll update once I hear back from them.

Anyone have the secret phone number for nysdol? I heard theres a different one that actually gets answered. My cousin's roommate got through right away using it when she had the same issue after her BYE date.

FINAL UPDATE: I finally got this resolved! After trying for days to get through on the phone with no luck, I decided to try that Claimyr service someone mentioned. I was connected to a NYSDOL agent in about 30 minutes. The agent explained that my account was stuck in what they call a "BYE date review queue" and that my email response had been received but not processed. She manually released my pending payments while I was on the phone! The money should be in my account in 1-2 business days. For anyone else stuck after their BYE date - definitely mention specifically that you're dealing with pending payments after a BYE date when you talk to someone. Apparently that helps them know exactly what needs to be fixed. Such a relief to finally have this resolved!