Can't find the File a Claim button after ID.me verification for NY unemployment

The NY unemployment website is notoriously confusing. After you do ID.me verification, you should log into your NY.gov account, not the ID.me site. Once logged in, look for a section called "Unemployment Services" or "Services" and there should be a link there for filing a claim. Sometimes it can take 24-48 hrs for your ID.me to fully sync with their system though.

I had the same problem last month! After hours of frustration, I finally found a service called Claimyr that helped me get through to an actual agent (claimyr.com). They call unemployment for you, wait on hold, then connect you when an agent picks up. Talking to a live person got all my issues fixed in one call and my claim was processed right away. Best decision I made cuz I was about to throw my laptop out the window lol. Check out this video if you want more info: https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE

Have you tried clicking on "My Online Services" at the top of the page after logging in? That's where mine was. Also sometimes their site is down for maintenance which they NEVER announce beforehand 🙄

The NY unemployment system is such a joke. I had to call 46 times before I got through to a human being who could help me find that stupid button. It's intentionally confusing so people give up. Don't let them win!!

Sometimes id.me verification doesn't properly communicate with the ny unemployment system. You might need to do a manual override. Call them directly at 1-888-209-8124 (good luck getting through tho) or try their chat function if you can find it buried in their website.

OK so here's a detailed breakdown of how to navigate this mess (I work in IT and spent 3 weeks figuring this out): First, the ID.me verification can take 3-7 business days to fully process in their system - even though they never tell you this. During that time, the File a Claim button will be hidden. Once processed, log in to labor.ny.gov using your NY.gov ID (NOT your ID.me credentials). Then: 1. Look for "Unemployment Services" in the left menu 2. Click on "Claim Weekly Benefits" 3. If you haven't filed an initial claim, it will redirect you to a page where you CAN file one If that doesn't work, your ID.me verification might not have completed properly. In that case, you NEED to speak with a representative. Regular phone calls rarely work because their system is overwhelmed. I strongly recommend using Claimyr.com - it's a service that calls unemployment for you, navigates the phone menus, waits on hold, then connects you when a human answers. It saved me days of frustration. After speaking with a rep, they can manually verify your identity and enable the claim filing option in your account. My benefits started processing the very next day after I got through to someone. Good luck - the system is broken but you'll get through it!

make sure ur checking the right website. there's labor.ny.gov AND unemployment.labor.ny.gov and they look almost identical but have different options. super confusing smh

Did you get an email confirmation that your ID.me verification was successful? If not, you might need to redo it. Check your spam folder too.

I had this EXACT issue last week. Turns out I needed to call them directly. After 2 days of failed attempts I finally used claimyr.com to get through to an agent. The rep told me there was a flag on my account that was hiding the file claim button, and they fixed it right away. Not sure why they don't just tell people this stuff upfront! 😡

Some browsers actually block certain elements on govt websites for some reason. If ur using Safari try Chrome instead.

Check to see if there any notifications in your message inbox on the website. Sometimes they require additional information before letting you file.

Hey did you ever solve this? I'm having the exact same problem right now and it's driving me insane 😭

what's extra frustrating is they changed the entire website interface like 2 months ago and didn't bother to update ANY of their help documentation. all the official guides show screenshots that don't match whats actually on the site now

I remember needing to click some tiny text link at the bottom of a random page that said something like "Begin your unemployment insurance application" - it wasn't even a proper button! Look for small text links not just obvious buttons.