How do I find my employer's EAN number for NYS Department of Labor unemployment claim?

The EAN (Employer Account Number) is a 7-digit number that NYS Department of Labor assigns to every employer who pays unemployment insurance taxes. You should be able to find it on your pay stubs - it's usually listed near other tax information. If you don't have recent pay stubs, check your W-2 form from last year, it might be listed there as well.

If you can't find it on your paperwork, you can try calling your former employer directly and asking for their EAN number. Most HR departments or payroll people know this number. You can also proceed with your claim using just the employer name and address - the NYS Department of Labor can usually look up the EAN on their end.

ugh i had the same problem when i filed!! took me forever to get through to someone at NYS Department of Labor to ask about this. if your employer is being difficult about giving you the number, you might want to try using a service like claimyr.com to help you get through to an actual agent faster. they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. saved me hours of trying to call myself.

Small restaurants sometimes use third-party payroll companies which can make finding this info confusing. Look for any company names on your pay stub besides your actual employer - if there's a payroll service listed, you might need to contact them instead.

honestly the whole system is such a mess, they should just be able to look this stuff up automatically instead of making us hunt for random numbers

You can also try checking any tax documents you might have received from your employer, like a W-2 or 1099 if you have one from previous years. Sometimes the EAN appears on those forms. If you're still stuck, another option is to visit your local NYS Department of Labor office in person - they can often help you locate your employer's information more quickly than trying to get through on the phone. Don't stress too much about it though, as others mentioned they can usually figure it out from just the business name and address during processing.

Another thing to try is checking any direct deposit paperwork or bank account setup forms you might have filled out when you started working at the restaurant. Sometimes employers include their EAN or other tax identification numbers on those documents. Also, if the restaurant is part of a chain or franchise, the EAN might be different from what you'd expect - it could be under the parent company's name rather than the individual location. Don't give up though, the NYS DOL processes thousands of claims where people can't find this number initially, so you're definitely not alone in this situation!

If you're still having trouble finding the EAN number, there's actually a NYS Department of Labor employer search tool on their website where you can look up registered employers by name and location. Just go to the DOL website and search for "employer lookup" or "business search" - it might help you find your restaurant's official registration info including the EAN. Also, don't forget that if your employer paid unemployment insurance taxes (which they're required to do), the number definitely exists in the system. Worst case scenario, you can file your claim with "unknown" or "not available" for the EAN field and explain in the comments section that you're unable to locate it despite checking pay stubs and contacting the employer. The claims processors deal with this all the time and have ways to match your employment history to the right employer account.

I went through this exact same situation last month! The EAN number can be really tricky to find, especially if you worked for a smaller business. In addition to checking pay stubs and W-2s like others mentioned, I'd also suggest looking at any employment paperwork you signed when you started - sometimes it's buried in there. If your restaurant used a POS system for payroll (like Toast or Square), the EAN might show up on digital pay stubs if you have access to an employee portal. Also, don't stress too much about calling your former employer - most managers understand that former employees need this info for unemployment claims, so they're usually willing to help even if the departure wasn't on the best terms. The key thing is not to let this hold up your filing - get your claim started with whatever info you have and sort out the EAN details as you go through the process.

I just want to add that if you're really stuck and can't find the EAN anywhere, you can also try contacting the NYS Department of Labor's employer services division directly - they might be able to help you identify your employer's account number if you provide them with the business name, address, and approximate dates you worked there. I've heard they're sometimes more helpful than the regular unemployment phone line. Also, if your restaurant was very small (like under 4 employees), there's a small chance they might not have been required to pay into the unemployment insurance system, which could explain why you can't find an EAN. But don't assume that's the case - definitely worth checking all the suggestions others have made first. Hang in there, this is just one of those bureaucratic hurdles that seems way more complicated than it should be!

I had a similar issue when I filed my claim a few months ago! One thing that worked for me was checking old tax documents - not just W-2s, but also any year-end statements or tax summaries your employer might have given you. The EAN sometimes shows up in unexpected places. Also, if you have any old direct deposit forms or benefits enrollment paperwork from when you started at the restaurant, those might have the number too. I know it's frustrating to hunt through all this paperwork when you're already stressed about being unemployed, but don't let it delay your filing too much. The NYS DOL really can work with just the employer name and address in most cases - I've seen them successfully match employment records even when people were missing information. The most important thing is to get your claim started within the required timeframe, and you can always update or clarify details as you go through the process.

Don't panic about this - I went through the exact same thing when I filed my claim earlier this year! The EAN is definitely one of those mysterious pieces of information that employers don't always make obvious to employees. Here's what worked for me: first, check if you have access to any online employee portals or apps your restaurant might have used - sometimes the EAN shows up in digital pay stubs or tax documents there. If that doesn't work, try calling during off-peak hours (like mid-morning on weekdays) when you're more likely to reach someone at your former workplace. Most importantly though, don't let this delay your filing! You can absolutely start your unemployment claim with just the restaurant's name, address, and your employment dates. The NYS DOL has sophisticated systems to match your work history to the right employer account, and they deal with missing EAN numbers literally every single day. I filed mine without the EAN initially and they sorted it out during processing without any issues. Just make sure to file within your deadline window - that's way more important than having every single piece of paperwork perfect from the start.