Are weekly NY unemployment certifications actually audited? Anyone been through it?

They definitely do audit, but it's not every single person. My brother-in-law got audited last year (2024) and had to provide proof of all his job searches for like 3 months back. Was a huge pain because he hadn't kept detailed records of everything. They made him verify every single employer contact with dates and contact info. He almost lost his benefits because of it.

The NYSDOL conducts both random and targeted audits of unemployment certifications. Random audits can happen to anyone, while targeted ones might be triggered by specific patterns or discrepancies in your certifications. They can go back up to a year (sometimes longer if fraud is suspected). As someone who helps people navigate the system, I always recommend keeping detailed records of: - All job search activities with dates, company names, positions, contact info - Any income reported during certification weeks - Documentation of any job offers/refusals - Records of any communications with NYSDOL If you're audited, you'll typically receive a notice requiring you to submit documentation within 7-10 days.

I went thru an audit in March 2025. They only checked 6 weeks of my certifications, not the whole claim. The process was actually pretty straight forward - they sent me a letter asking for proof of job searches for specific weeks. I uploaded everything through my online account and got approved about 10 days later. As long as you're actually doing the job searches and can prove it, you'll be fine.

OMG my cousin got audited and it was a NIGHTMARE!!! They froze her benefits for like 6 weeks while they reviewed everything. She had to appeal twice and call them literally every day. The system is totally broken and they treat everyone like criminals. She ended up having to pay back $2,400 because they said she didn't search for work properly even though she applied to like 5 jobs every week!!! RIDICULOUS!!!

i been on unemployment 3 times since 2020 and never got audited once lol i think its just random tbh

So I've been through the audit process twice (once in 2023 and again in early 2025). From my experience, they're definitely increasing the frequency of audits this year. The first time wasn't bad at all - just had to verify my job search activities. But the second time was much more thorough. They wanted: - Detailed job search records - Bank statements to verify I wasn't working unreported jobs - Contact info for employers I applied to The most frustrating part was trying to get someone on the phone when I had questions about what exactly they needed. I spent DAYS trying to get through. Eventually I found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an agent in about 20 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE Once I actually talked to someone, the process went much smoother. But definitely keep detailed records just in case.

anyone know how they decide who to audit? is it just random or do they look for something specific?

I think its mostly BS scare tactics to make people afraid to claim. The system is DESIGNED to intimidate people into not claiming what they're rightfully entitled to. I know at least a dozen people on unemployment and none have been audited. They don't have the staff to check everyone.

To address the original question more directly: According to publicly available data, NYSDOL audits approximately 7-10% of all unemployment claims annually. These audits range from simple verification checks to comprehensive reviews. While that's a relatively small percentage, it still represents thousands of claimants each year. The department prioritizes cases where there are discrepancies or red flags, but they also conduct random audits to ensure compliance. The best approach is to be meticulous with your documentation. It's much easier to maintain records as you go than to try reconstructing your job search activities months later.

@OP - Yes, save screenshots, confirmation emails, and keep a spreadsheet with all the details (company name, position, date applied, method of application, contact info if available, any response received). This documentation is gold if you get audited. I wish I had been more organized from the beginning of my claim!

Just wanted to share my recent experience since it might help others. I got audited in February 2025 after being on unemployment for about 4 months. It wasn't as scary as I thought it would be, but I'm really glad I had been keeping decent records. They asked for documentation from 8 specific weeks of my claim - not the whole thing. I had to provide proof of job searches, any income I reported, and explain a gap where I had marked "yes" to being available for work but hadn't applied to jobs that week (I was sick with the flu). The whole process took about 3 weeks from when I got the letter to when they approved everything. I submitted everything through the online portal and got an email confirmation that my benefits would continue. My advice: definitely keep those detailed records everyone mentioned. I used a simple Google Sheet with columns for date, company, position, how I applied, and any follow-up. Saved me a lot of stress when the audit came!

Thanks for posting this question - I've been wondering the same thing! I'm about 6 weeks into my claim and have been pretty casual about record keeping, but reading all these responses is making me realize I need to step up my game. I've been doing my job searches but mostly just saving confirmation emails in a random folder. Sounds like I need to get way more organized with a proper spreadsheet and screenshots. Better to be over-prepared than scrambling if I get selected for an audit. Has anyone found a good template or system for tracking all this stuff? I'm thinking I'll start with what @Isaac Wright suggested but wondering if there are any other details I should be capturing that might not be obvious.