How to upload job search for unemployment - NYS Department of Labor website keeps failing
I'm trying to figure out how to upload my job search documentation to the NYS Department of Labor website for my weekly claim certification. Every time I try to submit my job search log through the my.ny.gov portal, it either times out or gives me an error message saying 'file format not supported.' I've been keeping detailed records in a Word document with company names, dates, contact info, and what positions I applied for. The system seems to only accept certain file types but I can't find anywhere that explains exactly what format they want. Has anyone successfully uploaded their job search records? What am I doing wrong here?
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Amun-Ra Azra
The NYS Department of Labor system can be really picky about file formats. Try converting your Word document to a PDF first - that usually works better. Also make sure your file size is under 5MB. When you log into your unemployment account, go to the 'Job Search Activities' section and there should be an upload button. The system accepts PDF, JPG, or PNG files only.
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Harold Oh
•Thanks! I'll try the PDF conversion. Do I need to upload this every week or just when they request it during an audit?
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Summer Green
ugh same problem here, the website is so glitchy. sometimes i just email my job search stuff to myself as backup
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Gael Robinson
You actually don't need to upload your job search documentation unless NYS Department of Labor specifically requests it during a work search audit. For your weekly certification, you just need to answer 'yes' that you completed the required number of job search activities. Keep your records but only upload them if they ask. The system is mainly there for when they do random audits of claimants.
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Harold Oh
•Wait really? I thought I had to upload proof every week. That would save me so much time and frustration with this website.
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Amun-Ra Azra
•Yes, you only upload during audits, but definitely keep detailed records. NYS Department of Labor can request them at any time and you need to provide them within a certain timeframe or risk disqualification.
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Edward McBride
I had similar issues trying to reach someone at NYS Department of Labor about uploading requirements. Spent hours on hold before I found out about claimyr.com - it's a service that helps you get through to actual agents. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Used it last month when I needed clarification on my job search requirements and actually got connected to someone who could explain the upload process properly.
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Darcy Moore
•Never heard of that service before. Did they charge you anything or was it free to use?
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Edward McBride
•There's a cost but honestly worth it when you can't get through the regular phone lines. Much better than spending entire days trying to reach NYS Department of Labor.
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Dana Doyle
Pro tip: create a simple spreadsheet with columns for date, company name, position, method of contact (online, in person, etc), and any follow-up. Save it as both Excel and PDF. This format seems to work best when NYS Department of Labor does request your records. Also make sure you're meeting the minimum weekly job search requirements - I think it's still 3 activities per week unless you're on standby.
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Liam Duke
The whole NYS Department of Labor system is a nightmare honestly. Between the website crashes, the phone lines being jammed, and unclear instructions about what documentation they actually want, it's like they're trying to make it impossible to get benefits. At least now I know I don't have to upload every single week.
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Summer Green
•exactly! why can't they just make it clear what we're supposed to do instead of making us guess
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Amara Torres
I've been dealing with the same frustrating upload issues! What finally worked for me was creating a simple table in Google Docs with my job search activities, then downloading it as a PDF. Make sure the file name doesn't have any special characters - just use something like "JobSearch_Week_01_23_2025.pdf". Also, try uploading during off-peak hours like early morning or late evening when fewer people are using the system. The servers seem less overloaded then and I've had better success getting files to actually submit.
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Sean Fitzgerald
•That's really helpful about the file naming! I never thought about special characters causing upload issues. Do you know if there's a specific file size limit? I've been keeping pretty detailed records and my weekly logs are getting pretty long with all the job applications I'm tracking.
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