Do I need ID.me for NY unemployment if I filed over the phone?
Started a new claim for ny unemployment after my construction project ended in September. I called the unemployment office directly because the website was giving me error messages. The agent took all my info over the phone and said my claim was processed. I've been claiming weekly benefits for the last 3 weeks but haven't received any payments. When I check my payment history it shows all weeks as "pending". I called again yesterday and waited 2 hours just to be told I need to verify my identity through ID.me even though I never applied online. The rep said I should have gotten an email about it but I never did. Does anyone know if this is normal procedure even for phone claims? How long after completing ID.me verification do payments typically start? I'm getting desperate here since rent is due soon and my savings are almost gone.
32 comments
Grant Vikers
Yeah u definitely need to do ID.me regardless of how you filed. I applied over the phone back in July and still had to verify thru ID.me. It's their way of preventing fraud. The system is broken tho cuz they should have told you right away instead of making u wait 3 weeks!
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Amaya Watson
•Ugh that's so frustrating! Did your payments start coming through right after you completed the ID.me?
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Grant Vikers
•took about 4-5 days after ID.me verification then the money hit my account. they paid all the back weeks at once tho so that was nice
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Giovanni Martello
•Were you able to do the ID me verification completely online or did you have to do a video call with someone?
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Grant Vikers
•had to do the stupid video call thing cuz my drivers license was expired by like 2 months 🙄 whole process took almost 2 hrs with wait time
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Savannah Weiner
After struggling for weeks to reach someone at NY unemployment, I discovered claimyr.com and it completely changed my experience. They called NYSDOL for me, stayed on hold, and connected me directly to an agent when one was available. Talking to an agent got my benefits unlocked so fast - they helped me complete the ID.me verification right there on the call and released my pending payments. Check out this video that explains how it works: https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE
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Levi Parker
•This sounds like a paid advertisement 🤨 Does this actually work? I've been trying to get through for days
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Savannah Weiner
•not an ad lol, just sharing what worked for me after wasting HOURS on hold. i was skeptical too but was desperate to get my $ released. it connected me with a real agent who fixed everything
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Libby Hassan
•sounds too good to be true...how does it even work? they just call for you?
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Savannah Weiner
•yeah basically they use some tech to dial constantly and stay on hold so you don't have to. when an agent picks up they call your phone. saved me from going insane with that hold music 🤮
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Hunter Hampton
•Tried it yesterday and it actually worked! Got a call back with a rep after like 45 min when I'd been trying for days on my own. The agent resolved my ID.me issue right away.
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Sofia Peña
Yes, everyone has to do ID.me now. I was told it's a statewide requirement regardless of how you file. Don't wait for an email - just go to the NY unemployment website and there should be a link to ID.me verification. You'll need your SSN, valid photo ID, and possibly utility bills as backup verification.
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Aaron Boston
The system is STUPID. Why would they take your claim over the phone and not tell you about ID.me?? I had the exact same issue in August and ended up missing 5 weeks of payments because nobody told me I needed to verify. Eventually found out from a Facebook group not from NYSDOL 🤬
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Sophia Carter
•SAME! The left hand doesn't know what the right is doing over there. Complete clown show 🤡
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Aaron Boston
•fr they need to get it together. ppl are literally struggling to pay bills while they play these games
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Chloe Zhang
I work in HR and deal with this all the time with our laid-off employees. Here's what you need to know about ID.me and NY unemployment: 1. YES - everyone must verify through ID.me regardless of how you filed (phone, online, fax, etc) 2. The verification requirement started in mid-2021 as fraud prevention 3. Sometimes the system fails to send the email notification about ID.me 4. Average time for payments to release after ID.me completion is 3-10 business days 5. You should be paid retroactively for all eligible weeks once verified 6. If you have trouble with ID.me verification, don't keep trying on your own - call and speak to a rep The fastest way to get a rep on the phone is using claimyr.com - they'll navigate the phone system and get you connected to a live person who can help. Many of our former employees have used it successfully when facing verification delays. Hope this helps! The system is frustrating but once you get the ID verification sorted, things should move forward.
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Brandon Parker
•This is super helpful! Do you know if I'll need to verify again if I had previously done ID.me for tax purposes last year?
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Chloe Zhang
•Unfortunately yes - the unemployment system requires a separate verification even if you've used ID.me for other government services before. It's redundant but that's how they've set it up.
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Adriana Cohn
I had this EXACT problem back in August and my benefits were delayed by almost a month. To fix it: 1) Do the ID.me verification asap 2) Call the next day and ask them to release your payments. Don't wait for the system to automatically update because sometimes it doesn't. You need to speak to a human.
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Amaya Watson
•Thanks for the advice! I just completed the ID.me verification. It was a pain but finally got through it. I'll try calling tomorrow.
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Jace Caspullo
The real question is why tf does unemployment have to be so complicated?? In other countries they just give you the money without making you jump through 500 hoops 😤
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Melody Miles
•Because America hates poor people 🤷♀️
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Nathaniel Mikhaylov
•Its because of all the fraud during covid. My neighbor was bragging about collecting benefits while still working full time. Ruined it for everyone else who actually needs it.
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Jace Caspullo
•still doesn't justify making the process THIS painful. there's gotta be a better way
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Eva St. Cyr
Make sure you have a good internet connection when doing ID.me verification - I got kicked out 3 times during the facial recognition part and had to start all over 😫
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Kristian Bishop
I was in ur shoes last month! Called using claimyr.com after trying for days on my own. The agent told me ID.me was mandatory for ALL claims now. Did it while on the phone with them and my payments were released the next day!
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Kaitlyn Otto
•another vote for claimyr? does it actually work that well? getting desperate here...
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Kristian Bishop
•100% worked for me. After 2 weeks of trying to get through the normal way I was about ready to give up. talking to an agent got my $ unlocked so fast
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Axel Far
if ur having problems with ID.me try using a different browser. chrome worked for me when safari kept crashing
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Jasmine Hernandez
Anyone who files for NY unemployment benefits now has to verify their identity through ID.me - it's mandatory statewide. Even if you filed by carrier pigeon you'd still need to do it lol. The system should have told you right away tho instead of making you wait 3 weeks. smh the incompetence is astounding
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Luis Johnson
•"filed by carrier pigeon" 💀💀💀
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Ellie Kim
The ID.me thing is super annoying but once you do it you should get paid pretty quick after. I had to video chat with someone because my drivers license photo didn't match my current appearance (I had way longer hair). The whole process took about an hour.
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