How to find unemployment number after losing my NYS Department of Labor login access?
I filed my initial unemployment claim about 6 weeks ago but I can't remember my unemployment claim number and I lost access to my my.ny.gov account. I need to call NYS Department of Labor to check on my weekly claim status but they keep asking for this number when I call. I've looked through all my emails and paperwork but can't find it anywhere. Does anyone know how to find unemployment number without being able to log into the online system? This is so frustrating because I think my claim might be stuck in adjudication.
14 comments


Connor O'Neill
Your unemployment claim number should be on any correspondence NYS Department of Labor sent you after you first applied. Check for a confirmation letter or email - it's usually in the subject line or at the top of the document. If you can't find any paperwork, you'll need to call the main unemployment line and they can look you up by your SSN and personal info.
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Zainab Ismail
•I've been trying to call for days but keep getting disconnected after waiting on hold for over an hour. Is there any other way to get this information?
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QuantumQuester
You can also try recovering your my.ny.gov account instead of trying to get the claim number. Go to the login page and use the 'Forgot Username' option with your email address. That might be easier than trying to reach someone by phone at NYS Department of Labor.
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Zainab Ismail
•I tried that already but it says my email isn't in their system, even though I definitely used it when I applied. Maybe I typed it wrong initially?
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Yara Nassar
ugh the same thing happened to me last month! I was going crazy trying to remember my claim number. turns out it was in my spam folder in an email from DOL.communications@labor.ny.gov. check there first before you waste more time on hold
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Keisha Williams
If you're having trouble getting through to NYS Department of Labor by phone, I recently discovered this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helps you actually reach a live agent. They have this video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. I was skeptical at first but it actually got me connected to someone who could pull up my claim information when I couldn't access my account. Might be worth checking out if you're stuck.
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Paolo Ricci
•How does that work exactly? Do they just call for you or something?
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Keisha Williams
•Yeah basically they handle the calling and waiting on hold part, then connect you when they get a real person. Saved me hours of frustration trying to get through myself.
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Amina Toure
Check your bank statements too if you've received any payments yet. Sometimes the unemployment claim number shows up in the payment description from NYS Department of Labor.
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Oliver Zimmermann
I work in HR and deal with this stuff all the time. Your claim number is definitely in the initial filing confirmation - it's required by law that they provide it. If you truly can't find any documentation, NYS Department of Labor can verify your identity over the phone using your SSN, full name, and address to look up your claim. The key is actually getting through to speak with someone, which I know is the main challenge right now.
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Zainab Ismail
•Thanks, that's really helpful to know. I'll keep trying to call and have all my info ready. Do you know if there are better times to call when they might be less busy?
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Oliver Zimmermann
•Tuesday through Thursday mornings seem to have shorter wait times in my experience. Avoid Mondays and Fridays if possible.
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Hunter Hampton
Have you tried checking your text messages? When I filed my claim, NYS Department of Labor sent me a confirmation text with my claim number right after I submitted the application. It might be buried in your message history if you haven't deleted it. Also, if you have a case worker assigned to your claim, sometimes their contact info includes your claim number in their email signature or voicemail messages.
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Dmitry Ivanov
•Good tip about checking text messages! I didn't even think to look there. I'll go through my message history from when I first applied. The case worker idea is interesting too - I'm not sure if I have one assigned yet since my claim might still be in adjudication, but I'll check any voicemails I might have missed from DOL numbers.
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