How do I change my mother's maiden name on NYS Department of Labor unemployment account?

You'll need to contact NYS Department of Labor directly to change security question information. You can't modify this through the my.ny.gov portal yourself. Call the customer service line and they can verify your identity using other methods and update your security questions. Make sure you have your Social Security number and claim confirmation number ready when you call.

ugh this happened to me too but with a different security question. took me 3 weeks to get through to someone who could actually help

I had the same exact problem last year! Getting through to NYS Department of Labor by phone was impossible with their call volume. I ended up using this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get connected to an actual agent. They have a video demo showing how it works at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI. Basically they handle the calling and waiting for you and then patch you through when they get an agent on the line. Saved me hours of frustration and I got my security questions updated the same day.

In addition to calling, you can also try visiting a local One-Stop Career Center if you have one nearby. They sometimes have direct lines to NYS Department of Labor that can help with account issues like this. You'll need to bring photo ID and your Social Security card to verify your identity for security question changes.

Just wanted to say be careful about what maiden name you use going forward. I made the mistake of using my mom's married name instead of her actual maiden name and it caused problems later when they asked for verification documents.

I went through this exact same issue a few months ago! The phone lines are absolutely brutal - I must have tried calling 50+ times over two weeks. What finally worked for me was calling right at 8:00 AM when they open. Set multiple alarms and start dialing at exactly 8:00. I got through on my third try that morning. Have all your info ready: SSN, confirmation number, and be prepared to answer other identity verification questions like previous employers and dates. They were actually really helpful once I got someone on the line and fixed my security question within 10 minutes. Don't give up - you'll get through eventually!

I had this exact same problem a couple months ago and it was such a headache! What ended up working for me was actually going through the "Forgot Password" process on the ny.gov login page. Even though it wasn't really a password issue, when you go through that process they give you options to verify your identity in different ways that bypass the security questions. You can choose to get a verification code sent to your phone or email instead. Once I got back into my account that way, I was able to go to the security settings and update my mother's maiden name to the correct one. It's kind of a roundabout way but it saved me from having to wait on hold forever. Worth trying before you spend hours on the phone!

I went through this exact same frustrating situation about 6 months ago! I had mixed up my mother's maiden name with her stepfather's surname when I first applied, and it completely locked me out of my account. After trying to call the main customer service line countless times with no success, I discovered a few strategies that actually worked. First, try the "Forgot Password" route on the ny.gov login page - even though it's not technically a password issue, this process gives you alternative verification options that bypass the security questions. Choose phone verification if given the option, as it's much faster than email. If that doesn't work, call the Teleclaim line at 888-581-5812 instead of the main customer service number. I found the wait times were shorter, especially if you call between 2-3 PM on weekdays. When you explain that you can't file your weekly claims due to the security question error, they prioritize your call. Have your SSN, confirmation number, and recent employer information ready for identity verification. The whole process took about 25 minutes once I got through to someone. Don't give up - there are definitely ways to get this fixed without waiting weeks!