How does NYS Department of Labor unemployment know if you worked - verification process explained
I'm currently collecting unemployment benefits and I'm wondering exactly how the NYS Department of Labor tracks whether I've worked or not. Do they automatically know when I get hired somewhere? I'm asking because I want to make sure I report everything correctly and don't accidentally mess up my claim. What systems do they use to verify employment status?
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CosmicCrusader
The NYS Department of Labor has several ways to verify your work status. They cross-reference your Social Security number with employer wage reports that companies are required to file quarterly. They also check with the State Directory of New Hires database when employers report new employees. Plus they can access federal databases for employment verification. The key is always reporting any work immediately when you file your weekly claim.
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Aisha Rahman
•Thanks! So if I work even one day I need to report it right away on my weekly certification?
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Ethan Brown
yeah they definitely know lol. my friend tried to work under the table while collecting and they caught him like 3 months later. had to pay everything back plus penalties
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Yuki Yamamoto
•Oh no! How much were the penalties? I'm so paranoid about making any mistakes on my weekly claims.
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Carmen Ortiz
The NYS Department of Labor uses what's called wage matching - they compare what you report on your weekly claims against actual employer records. They also receive notifications when you're hired through the New York State Directory of New Hires. If there's a discrepancy between what you reported and what employers reported, you'll get flagged for an investigation. Always be honest about any work, even if it's just a few hours.
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Aisha Rahman
•What if I do some freelance work? How do I report that correctly?
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Andre Rousseau
I had such a hard time getting through to someone at NYS Department of Labor to ask about this same question. Finally used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get connected to an actual agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. The agent explained everything about work reporting requirements and it was so much clearer than trying to figure it out from the website.
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Zoe Papadakis
•omg yes the phone system is horrible!! might have to try that
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Jamal Carter
THE SYSTEM IS RIGGED AGAINST US! They watch every move you make but when YOU need help getting your benefits they're nowhere to be found. I've been waiting 6 weeks for my adjudication to clear but they sure would find out fast if I worked somewhere without reporting it!!
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Ethan Brown
•I feel you man, the whole system is backwards
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Ella Lewis
From what I understand, they also have access to unemployment insurance wage records from other states if you've worked elsewhere recently. The databases are pretty interconnected now. I learned this when I had to report some part-time work I did in New Jersey while claiming benefits in NY - they caught the discrepancy during a routine audit even though I thought I was reporting correctly. The lesson is definitely to over-communicate rather than under-report anything, even if you're unsure about the requirements.
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Wesley Hallow
•Wow, I didn't realize they could cross-check with other states too! That's really good to know. I'm just starting my claim and want to make sure I don't mess anything up. Did you have to pay any penalties when they found the discrepancy, or were you okay since you were trying to report correctly?
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