How to get unemployment pay stubs from NYS Department of Labor - need them for apartment application
I've been getting unemployment benefits for about 2 months now and I need to apply for an apartment. The landlord is asking for pay stubs but obviously I don't have those since I'm unemployed. How do I get proof of my unemployment payments from NYS Department of Labor? I tried looking on my.ny.gov but can't find anything that looks like a pay stub. Do they even give you something like that or do I need to request it somehow?
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Morgan Washington
You can get your unemployment payment history from your my.ny.gov account. Log in and go to the 'Unemployment Services' section, then look for 'Payment History' or 'Benefit Payment Summary'. You can print this out and it shows all your weekly benefit amounts and dates. Most landlords accept this as proof of income.
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Layla Sanders
AuthorThanks! I found the payment history but it just shows amounts and dates. Is there something more detailed that looks more like an actual pay stub?
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Kaylee Cook
The NYS Department of Labor doesn't issue traditional pay stubs like an employer would. What you want is called a '1099-G' form which shows your total unemployment benefits for tax purposes, but that's only available at tax time. For current proof, the payment history from your online account is what most places accept. You can also call and request a benefit verification letter if the landlord needs something more official looking.
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Oliver Alexander
I had the same issue last year. Some landlords don't understand unemployment documentation. I had to explain that unemployment doesn't work like regular employment with pay stubs.
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Lara Woods
ugh this is so frustrating!! why dont they just give us something that looks normal?? i've been trying to get an apartment for weeks and every place wants different paperwork
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Morgan Washington
I know it's annoying, but the payment history printout from my.ny.gov is actually pretty comprehensive. Make sure you're printing the detailed version that shows your weekly benefit amount, not just the summary.
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Adrian Hughes
I was having trouble getting through to NYS Department of Labor to request additional documentation for my housing application. The phone lines are always busy and I kept getting disconnected. I ended up using a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get connected to an actual agent who could verify my benefits and send me an official letter. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Made the whole process much easier than trying to call myself.
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Layla Sanders
AuthorHow long did it take to get the letter once you got through to someone? My lease application deadline is next week.
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Adrian Hughes
The agent was able to email me a verification letter the same day. Much faster than I expected!
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Molly Chambers
Just went through this myself. Pro tip: when you print your payment history from my.ny.gov, also print out your original determination letter that shows your weekly benefit amount. Having both documents together makes it look more official and complete.
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Zoe Dimitriou
Another option is to ask the landlord if they'll accept a screenshot or printout of your unemployment debit card transaction history. If you get your benefits loaded onto a KeyBank debit card, those transactions show up like direct deposits with dates and amounts. Some landlords find this easier to understand than the official DOL payment history since it looks more like regular bank statements they're used to seeing.
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Kayla Morgan
That's a really good point about the debit card statements! I never thought of that option. Do you know if all unemployment recipients get the KeyBank card automatically or do you have to request it? I think I'm getting direct deposit to my regular bank account but the debit card statements might look more "paycheck-like" to landlords who aren't familiar with unemployment documentation.
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Daniela Rossi
@Kayla Morgan You have to opt for the KeyBank debit card when you first apply for benefits - it s'not automatic. If you re'already getting direct deposit, you d'have to contact DOL to switch to the card option. But honestly, for landlord purposes, your regular bank statements showing the unemployment deposits might work just as well! The deposits usually show up with something like NY "UNEMPLOYMENT or" similar, which makes it pretty clear what they are.
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Ella Russell
You typically get the KeyBank debit card automatically when you first apply for unemployment, but if you opted for direct deposit instead, you can usually switch to the debit card by logging into your my.ny.gov account and updating your payment method. The card statements do look more like traditional pay records since they show the deposit amounts with "NYS DEPT OF LABOR" as the source. Just make sure to get statements that cover at least 2-3 months to show consistent income.
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Zoe Papadakis
@Kayla Morgan You can choose between direct deposit or the KeyBank debit card when you first file for unemployment. If you re'already getting direct deposit, you can switch to the debit card by calling the unemployment line or updating your payment method in your my.ny.gov account. The card statements definitely look more like traditional pay records since they show NYS "DEPT OF LABOR as" the depositor with the exact amounts and dates. Just keep in mind it might take a week or two to get the card mailed to you if you switch now.
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Angelica Smith
You get to choose your payment method when you first file for unemployment. The KeyBank debit card (called ReliaCard) is the default option, but you can switch to direct deposit through your online account. If you're already getting direct deposit, you can actually request the debit card as a backup option - just log into my.ny.gov and look under payment preferences. The card statements do tend to look more familiar to landlords since they show transaction details similar to what they'd see from employed tenants.
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Giovanni Rossi
@Kayla Morgan You usually get to choose your payment method when you first apply for benefits. If you re'already getting direct deposit, you can switch to the KeyBank debit card by logging into your my.ny.gov account and updating your payment preferences. The card statements definitely look more like regular pay records - they show NYS "UNEMPLOYMENT as" the employer name and list each weekly payment as a separate transaction with dates. Much easier for landlords to understand than the DOL payment history format.
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Carmen Lopez
@Kayla Morgan When you first file for unemployment, they give you the option to receive benefits via direct deposit to your bank account or on the KeyBank debit card. If you chose direct deposit initially, you can usually switch to the debit card by calling the DOL or updating your preferences online. The card transactions do show up more like regular payroll deposits which might be easier for landlords to understand. Plus having both the official payment history AND the bank-style statements gives you more documentation options depending on what the landlord prefers.
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Taylor Chen
You usually get the KeyBank debit card automatically when you first file for unemployment, but if you chose direct deposit instead, you can switch to the card method by logging into your my.ny.gov account and updating your payment preference. The card statements definitely look more familiar to landlords since they show regular deposits just like paychecks would. Just make sure to request the switch a few weeks before you need the documentation since it can take time to process the change.
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Miguel Ramos
You can choose between direct deposit or the KeyBank debit card when you first file for unemployment, but you can also switch between them later by logging into your my.ny.gov account and updating your payment method. The debit card statements do look more like traditional pay records since they show "NYS DEPT OF LABOR" as the deposit source with specific amounts and dates. If your landlord is being picky about documentation format, it might be worth switching to the card temporarily just to get those statements for your application.
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Lydia Santiago
You have to request the KeyBank debit card - it's not automatic. When you first file for unemployment, you can choose between direct deposit to your bank account or getting the prepaid debit card. If you already set up direct deposit, you can still request the card later by calling the customer service line or logging into your my.ny.gov account. The card statements do look more like traditional pay records since they show regular deposits with the state as the sender, which some landlords find easier to understand than the official DOL payment history format.
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Daniel Washington
@Kayla Morgan You have to opt for the KeyBank card when you first file your claim, otherwise it defaults to direct deposit. But if you re'already set up with direct deposit, you might be able to switch by calling the DOL or updating your payment method online. The card statements definitely do look more like traditional pay documentation since they show regular deposits with NYS "DOL as" the source. Worth checking if you can still switch if your current landlord documentation isn t'working out.
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Miguel Silva
@Kayla Morgan You can choose between direct deposit or the KeyBank debit card when you first file for unemployment. If you re'already getting direct deposit, you can actually switch to the debit card by logging into your my.ny.gov account and updating your payment method. The card statements do look more like traditional pay records since they show the deposit amounts with NYS "DEPT OF LABOR as" the source. Just keep in mind it can take about a week to get the card mailed to you if you decide to switch.
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