I'm dealing with the exact same situation right now! My claim has been under fact finding for about 3 weeks and like you, I haven't received any notification about what they need. I've been calling every morning but can't get through. One thing I learned from a friend who went through this is that sometimes the fact finding gets triggered automatically by their system when there's a minor data mismatch - could be something as simple as your employer reporting a slightly different last work date than what you put on your application. The frustrating part is they don't tell you what specifically triggered it. I'm planning to try that proactive document submission approach that Evan mentioned - seems like it can't hurt to get ahead of whatever they might be looking for.

I feel your frustration - the uncertainty is almost worse than knowing there's actually a problem. I went through a similar situation about 6 months ago where my claim got flagged for fact finding with no explanation. In my case, it turned out my previous employer had reported conflicting information about my separation date to the state, but I didn't find this out until I finally got through to a rep after weeks of calling. What helped me was keeping a detailed log of all my attempts to contact them (dates, times, how long I waited on hold) and also documenting my original employment situation with dates and details. When I finally did speak to someone, having all that information ready made the conversation much more productive. The whole process took about 5 weeks total, but once they had the clarification they needed, my back payments were released pretty quickly. Hang in there - it's incredibly stressful but most fact finding issues do get resolved eventually.

I'm dealing with this exact same issue right now! Just tried to update my direct deposit info last week and got the same "mother's name is incorrect" error. It's so frustrating because I know I'm entering it correctly... or at least I thought I was! After reading through all these responses, I'm realizing I probably need to think back to exactly how I entered her name when I first applied in 2021. I might have used her maiden name then, or maybe I included her middle initial and forgot about it. The tip about searching through old emails for confirmation messages is brilliant - I'm definitely going to do that tonight. And I had no idea the system would be so picky about things like extra spaces or punctuation! Who knew a hyphen could cause so much trouble? Going to try the systematic approach everyone's mentioned: check old emails first, then test different variations methodically instead of just randomly guessing. Also switching to desktop since so many people said that works better than mobile. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences! This thread has been more helpful than hours of trying to navigate the DOL website. It's oddly reassuring to know I'm not the only one dealing with this bureaucratic nightmare. I'll definitely update if I figure out what my formatting issue is! 🤞

I'm going through this exact same frustrating issue! The NY unemployment system rejected my mother's name when I tried to update my direct deposit yesterday. Reading through all these responses has been such a lifesaver - I had no idea so many people were dealing with this same problem! Based on everyone's experiences here, I think my issue is probably that I used my mom's maiden name when I originally applied in 2020, but I've been entering her married name when trying to update. I'm definitely going to search through my old emails tonight to find those confirmation messages from when I first filed. The tips about checking for middle initials, extra spaces, and punctuation are so helpful - it's crazy that the system is THAT picky about exact formatting after all these years! I'm also going to switch to the desktop website since multiple people mentioned it works better than mobile. It's honestly ridiculous that we have to play detective just to update our banking info, but seeing all these success stories gives me hope. Thanks everyone for sharing your solutions! This thread has been way more helpful than anything on the official DOL site. I'll definitely update once I crack the code - we're all in this bureaucratic nightmare together! 🙏

I've been on NY unemployment for about 4 weeks and have been doing Coursera courses in web development (my field), but I was being really casual about it - just watching videos here and there for maybe 20-30 minutes at a time. After reading through this entire thread, I realize I need to completely change my approach! The level of documentation everyone is describing is way more thorough than what I've been doing. I've basically just been writing "online training" in my work search log without any details. Based on all the advice here, I need to start: - Spending at least 1 hour per session when I count it as an activity - Keeping detailed records of course names, modules completed, and time spent - Taking screenshots of progress and saving certificates - Connecting each course to specific job applications - Actually completing full modules instead of just sampling content The audit stories are really eye-opening - I definitely don't want to risk having to pay back benefits because of poor documentation. It sounds like the DOL is getting more strict about this stuff. One thing I'm curious about: for those doing technical courses like programming, do you document the actual coding projects you complete as part of the coursework? I've been working through some JavaScript courses that have hands-on coding exercises, and I'm wondering if I should be saving those as additional proof of engagement. Thanks to everyone who shared such detailed experiences - this thread has been a wake-up call that I need to take the work search requirements much more seriously!

Absolutely document those coding projects! As someone who's been through a DOL audit, I can tell you that having actual code samples and completed programming exercises as evidence of your coursework engagement is incredibly valuable. When the auditor reviewed my work search activities, they were really impressed that I could show tangible deliverables from my online courses, not just certificates. For JavaScript courses specifically, I'd recommend: - Screenshot your completed code exercises with timestamps - Save copies of any projects you build (even simple ones) - Document what specific programming concepts you learned in each session - Note how the skills relate to job requirements you're seeing (like "completed DOM manipulation exercises relevant to front-end developer roles") The fact that you're recognizing the need to be more thorough now is great - better to adjust your approach early than face issues later. I was pretty casual about documentation my first month too, but tightening up my record-keeping really paid off when I got audited. One more tip for web development courses: if you're building any portfolio projects as part of the coursework, definitely mention those in cover letters. I got several interview callbacks after highlighting recent projects I'd completed during my Coursera training. Employers love seeing that you're actively coding and building things, not just passively watching tutorials. Your plan to spend at least an hour per session and complete full modules is spot on based on everything discussed in this thread. Good luck with the job search!

Just went through this same situation last month - employer contested claiming misconduct but it was really budget cuts. Here's what worked for me: bring copies of ANY documentation you have (layoff notices, emails mentioning budget issues, etc.) and keep them organized. Don't overthink it - if you were truly laid off due to budget constraints, that's your story and stick to it. When they ask about the misconduct allegation, just calmly say "I was not terminated for misconduct, I was laid off due to company budget cuts" and don't elaborate unless they ask specific follow-up questions. The interviewer dealt with cases like this all the time and could tell I was being honest. You'll do fine - the truth usually comes out in these interviews.

I just want to add - if they ask about your last day at work, keep it really simple. Just say something like "I was called into a meeting with HR and my supervisor and was informed that my position was being eliminated due to budget constraints." Don't mention if you were emotional, if you argued, or if you said anything you regret in the moment. Also, never say phrases like "I knew it was coming" or "I wasn't surprised" because they might twist that into you expecting to be fired for performance reasons. Even if the writing was on the wall with company finances, just focus on what actually happened that day. The key is to sound like someone who was genuinely caught off guard by a business decision, not someone who was terminated for cause.

I'm having the exact same issue! Just got that "not authorized" error this morning when trying to certify and it's been driving me crazy all day. I've been claiming for about 3 months with absolutely no problems until now. Reading through everyone's experiences here is actually really comforting - it's clear this is happening to a lot of people at the same time which definitely makes it seem like a system-wide problem rather than individual account issues. I'm going to try the incognito browser window trick first since that sounds like the quickest fix, then clear all my browser data completely if that doesn't work. If neither of those help, I'll definitely call that technical support number (1-888-581-5812) that someone mentioned - sounds way better than trying to get through the main claims line. The timing is just awful since I have rent due next week too, but it's reassuring to read that people have been able to get backpay even when they miss their certification window due to technical issues like this. Thanks everyone for sharing your solutions and experiences - this community is such a lifesaver when dealing with NY unemployment's disaster of a system! I'll post an update if any of these fixes work for me. Really hoping we all get this resolved quickly! 🤞

I'm dealing with this exact same "not authorized" error right now too! Just tried to certify this morning and got completely locked out. Been claiming for about 5 months with zero problems until today. Reading through everyone's experiences here is really helpful - it's both frustrating and reassuring to see so many people having this issue at the same time, which definitely suggests it's a system-wide problem rather than something wrong with individual accounts. I'm going to try the incognito browser window trick first since that seems like the quickest fix, then call that technical support number (1-888-581-5812) if that doesn't work. The timing is awful since I have utilities due this week, but it's comforting to know from other people's experiences that they can backdate payments once the issue gets resolved. Thanks everyone for sharing your solutions and experiences - this community is such a lifesaver when dealing with NY unemployment's broken system! Will definitely post an update if any of these fixes work for me. Hoping we all get this sorted out soon! 🤞