How long after completing ny unemployment ID verification will I get my back payments?
So annoying dealing with the identity verification process for unemployment. I was laid off in June from my retail job and applied for benefits right away. Everything seemed fine until mid-July when I got an email saying my account was flagged for possible fraud and all payments were stopped. They made me upload my driver's license, social security card, and a utility bill through their ID.me system on August 3rd. The verification said it was successful, but it's now been almost 4 weeks and I haven't received any of my back payments (about $1,780 total). Their website shows my claim is "pending" with no other info. I've called at least 15 times but can never get through to a real person. Has anyone else dealt with this identity verification delay? I'm getting desperate since my rent is due next week and my savings are completely gone.
45 comments
Nia Williams
Ugh took me almost 7 weeks after ID verification to get my money. NY unemployment system is an absolute disaster. Keep trying to call early in the morning right when they open - like 7:59am. That's how I finally got thru.
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Mateo Gonzalez
7 weeks?? I'm already at 4 and can barely make it. Did they at least pay all the back weeks at once?
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Nia Williams
Yeah when it finally cleared they dumped all the money at once. But man those weeks were rough. I had to borrow from everyone I knew.
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Luca Ricci
calling at 7:59 is good advice but they still put you on hold forever. I tried for 2 weeks straight and never got through 🤮
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Aisha Mohammed
I found a way to skip the phone nightmares with NY unemployment. I tried calling for WEEKS and gave up. Then I used Claimyr.com and got a callback with an actual agent within an hour. They fixed my identity verification issue on the spot and I got my payments 5 days later. It was the only way I could talk to a live agent - totally worth it to finally get my $ unlocked so fast. They have a good explanation video too: https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE
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Ethan Campbell
Is this for real? Sounds too good to be true after all the hell I've been through trying to reach them 🤔
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Aisha Mohammed
Yeah it actually works. I was super skeptical too but was desperate after 3 weeks of calling with no luck. The service connects you with the next available agent.
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Yuki Watanabe
wait hold up - does this actually work or is it just the usual BS? I've wasted so much time already...
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Aisha Mohammed
It's legit. They basically stay on hold for you and call you when they get a human. Saved me hours of listening to that horrible hold music lol
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Carmen Sanchez
another day, another company promising to fix the unfixable unemployment system lol
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Andre Dupont
I literally just used this yesterday after seeing it mentioned here. Got thru to someone who fixed my claim after 5 weeks of nothing. wish I knew about this sooner!
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Zoe Papadakis
The ID.me verification is the WORST. Took me 6 weeks after verification to get paid. And only because my sister knows someone who works there who helped push it through. The system is broken AF 😡
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ThunderBolt7
Same boat as you. Did ID verification 5 weeks ago. Finally got thru to someone yesterday who said my account was still under review and could take "up to 8 more weeks" to process. I literally cried on the phone. This system is designed to make people give up.
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Jamal Edwards
8 MORE WEEKS?? thats insane! did they say why it takes so long? some of us cant wait months to pay bills
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ThunderBolt7
They claimed they have a huge backlog of fraud cases to review manually. But i think they're just hoping people will give up and stop claiming benefits honestly.
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Mei Chen
Look, I've been through the whole NY unemployment identity verification nightmare and here's what you need to know: The ID verification through ID.me is just the FIRST step. After you complete that, your case still has to be manually reviewed by an actual DOL employee. This is where the huge delays happen. You basically have three options: 1) Keep calling every day until you get through. Start calling exactly at 7:59am. Hit the options for "existing claim" and then "payment issues" for fastest routing. 2) Use a service like claimyr.com that will wait on hold for you and call when they get an agent. I was skeptical but it worked for me after weeks of trying on my own. 3) Contact your state representative's office. They have special contacts at unemployment and can sometimes escalate cases. Once someone actually looks at your case, they can usually clear the hold immediately. Then payments typically arrive within 2-5 business days. Don't give up - the money is yours and you're entitled to it. The system is designed to be frustrating so people will quit trying.
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Mateo Gonzalez
This is so helpful thank you! I didn't realize ID.me was just the first step... explains the delay. Did you have to provide any additional documents when you finally reached someone?
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Mei Chen
Nope, once I got through to someone they just had to review what I'd already submitted through ID.me. The agent I spoke with literally fixed it in like 3 minutes. Such a waste of weeks waiting.
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Liam O'Sullivan
So I was about to throw my phone after 3 hours on hold when I saw this comment. Tried claimyr and had an agent on the phone in 45 mins. They cleared my ID verification on the spot!
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Amara Okonkwo
has anyone else noticed that the verification system seems to flag certain types of jobs more than others? everyone I know who worked in restaurants or retail (like OP) got hit with these fraud checks. feels targeted tbh.
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Giovanni Marino
Yesss! Everyone at my old bar got flagged. I think they target industries with high turnover or cash tips. My boyfriend works in tech and got benefits instantly with zero verification 🙄
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Amara Okonkwo
exactly!! its like they just assume service workers are trying to commit fraud. meanwhile corporate layoffs just sail right through 💅
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Fatima Al-Sayed
My theory is they flag anyone who had multiple W-2s in the past year. All of us gig/service workers get screwed while people with stable jobs cruise through.
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Dylan Hughes
Pro tip: CALL YOUR STATE SENATOR'S OFFICE! I was stuck in ID verification hell for 5 weeks, called my senator's constituent services, and they had it resolved in 3 days. They have direct lines to unemployment office management.
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NightOwl42
This is actually great advice. My assembly member's office helped me too. They have special contacts at NYSDOL that regular people don't have access to.
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Sofia Rodriguez
They're literally STEALING from us by making this process so impossible. the state saves millions by denying/delaying claims knowing many people will just give up. its criminal.
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Dmitry Ivanov
THIS 👆 The whole system is designed to frustrate people into giving up their rightful benefits
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Ava Thompson
yup. my friend who works at DOL (not in NY) says they're actually trained to make things difficult. it's disgusting.
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Miguel Herrera
its total bs that theyve STILL not fixed the systems after all this time. id verification issues have been going on for YEARS now. i went thru this exact same thing in 2021. nothing changes.
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Zainab Ali
Unpopular opinion maybe but I got through verification in 2 weeks. I uploaded super clear photos of ALL documents, did a video chat with ID.me, and sent a follow up email to NY unemployment every 3 days. Sometimes the squeaky wheel gets the grease.
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Connor Murphy
What email address did you use? I can't find a direct email anywhere on their site.
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Zainab Ali
I used the message center in my online account. Not technically email but it goes to the same place.
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Yara Nassar
dont wanna be a downer but ive been waiting TWELVE WEEKS after identity verification. No payments yet. Called every day for a month. Different answer each time. One rep told me to just "be patient" 🤡
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Mateo Gonzalez
Omg that's terrifying. How are you surviving??
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Yara Nassar
Credit cards maxed out and living with my parents at 35. The American dream lol
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StarGazer101
Anyone else find it suspicious that they flag accounts as fraud right when you're about to get a big payment? Happened to me and 3 friends... all right when we hit about $1500-2000 in accumulated benefits.
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Keisha Jackson
YES!! This is exactly what happened to me! Had received 3 payments no problem, then account flagged right before a big backpay was due. Feels calculated.
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Paolo Romano
SAME. Got flagged right before I was due to receive 5 weeks of back pay.
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Amina Diop
Check if your state rep has a dedicated unemployment caseworker! Mine does and she helped clear my ID verification in 10 days after I was waiting for 6 weeks with nothing.
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Oliver Schmidt
this is why i stopped claiming benefits even tho i qualify. the mental health toll of fighting this broken system is worse than just taking any random job i can find. they win by making it so impossible.
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Natasha Volkov
I felt this. Spent so many hours fighting for my benefits I could have worked a part time job with the same hours.
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Javier Torres
After trying everything to get through on the phones, I finally used claimyr.com and it actually worked. Got a real person on the line in under an hour after weeks of failed calls. My ID verification was cleared on the spot and I got paid the following week. Highly recommended if youre desperate like I was.
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Emma Wilson
So you just pay them and they somehow get through the phone system? Seems sketchy...
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Javier Torres
Not sketchy at all - they basically use an automated system to stay on hold so you don't have to. When they reach a human, they connect the call to your phone. Honestly it's genius and saved me weeks of stress.
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Mateo Gonzalez
I'm going to try this tomorrow. At this point I've got nothing to lose.
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