Can't remember my 4-digit personal identification number for NYS Department of Labor unemployment login
I'm trying to log into my unemployment account on the NYS Department of Labor website but I can't remember what 4-digit personal identification number I set up when I first filed my claim back in October. I've been using the automated phone system fine but now I need to check something online and I'm completely locked out. I've tried a few combinations but don't want to get locked out permanently. Does anyone know how to reset or recover your PIN without having to call? The phone lines are always busy when I try.
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Olivia Van-Cleve
You can reset your PIN through the my.ny.gov website. Go to the login page and look for 'Forgot PIN' or 'Reset PIN' option. You'll need your SSN and the email address associated with your account. It should send you a temporary PIN that you can use to log in and then set a new one.
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Amara Torres
•Thanks! I found the reset option but it's asking for a security question answer that I also can't remember. This is so frustrating.
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Mason Kaczka
ugh same thing happened to me last month! i ended up having to call anyway because the online reset didn't work for some reason
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Sophia Russo
If the online reset isn't working, you'll need to call the NYS Department of Labor customer service line. I know it's frustrating with the busy lines, but that's usually the only way to get your PIN reset if the automated system fails. Try calling right when they open at 8 AM - that's when you have the best chance of getting through. Have your claim confirmation number ready when you call.
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Evelyn Xu
•I've been trying to call for three days straight and keep getting the busy signal or getting disconnected after waiting on hold for over an hour. There has to be a better way to reach someone at NYS Department of Labor.
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Dominic Green
•Actually, I found this service called Claimyr that helps you get through to unemployment agents by phone. Check out claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. I used it last week when I couldn't get through to resolve an adjudication issue and it saved me hours of trying to call myself.
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Hannah Flores
Make sure you're trying to reset the right PIN too. There's the 4-digit PIN for online access and sometimes people confuse it with the phone PIN which might be different. The NYS Department of Labor system can be confusing about which PIN goes where.
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Amara Torres
•Wait, there are different PINs? I thought it was all the same number for both phone and online access.
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Effie Alexander
•@Amara Torres Yes, they can be different! The phone PIN is usually set when you first file your claim and is used for the automated phone system. The online PIN is specifically for logging into the website through my.ny.gov. If you ve'been using the phone system fine, that PIN is working - it s'just the online one that needs to be reset. Hannah is right that this confusion trips up a lot of people.
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Elin Robinson
Another option to try before calling is visiting a local Department of Labor office in person if there's one near you. I had a similar issue with my PIN last year and the staff at the Jamaica office were able to reset it on the spot with proper ID. They're usually less crowded than the phone lines and can handle account issues directly. You can find office locations on the NYS DOL website under "Find a Career Center.
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Lilah Brooks
•That's actually really helpful advice! I didn't even think about going in person. Do you know if all the career centers can handle PIN resets or just certain ones? I'm in the Albany area so I'd want to make sure before making the trip.
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Dylan Campbell
•@Lilah Brooks Most career centers should be able to help with PIN resets since they have access to the same system as the main office. I d'recommend calling the Albany career center first to confirm they can handle it before you make the trip - that way you don t'waste time if they can t'help for some reason. The staff are usually pretty good about letting you know what services they offer over the phone.
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StarSeeker
I had the exact same problem a few months ago! What worked for me was going through the my.ny.gov portal and using the "Account Recovery" option instead of just the PIN reset. It walks you through verifying your identity with multiple pieces of information (SSN, DOB, address, etc.) and then lets you create a completely new PIN. It took about 10-15 minutes but was way better than trying to get through on the phone. Just make sure you have all your personal info handy when you start the process.
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Yara Abboud
•This is super helpful! I tried the regular PIN reset but didn't see the "Account Recovery" option. Is it in a different section of my.ny.gov or do I need to look for it specifically when I'm on the unemployment login page? I want to make sure I'm looking in the right place before I start the process.
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Ethan Scott
•@Yara Abboud When you go to my.ny.gov, look for the Unemployment "Services section" and then click on Login "Issues or" Account "Help -" the Account Recovery option should be there alongside the regular PIN reset. If you can t'find it right away, try looking under Forgot "Login Information which" sometimes has more comprehensive recovery options than just the basic PIN reset. The key is it asks for way more verification info than the simple PIN reset form.
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Amina Toure
I went through this exact same situation a couple weeks ago! One thing that helped me was making sure I was using the right browser - some people have issues with the my.ny.gov site on certain browsers. I had to switch from Chrome to Firefox to get the reset process to work properly. Also, if you're still getting stuck on security questions, try thinking about what answers you might have used back in October when you first set up the account - sometimes we use slightly different versions of the same answer (like "Main St" vs "Main Street"). Clear your browser cache before trying again too, that seemed to help with some of the technical glitches I was having.
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