Made mistake during NY unemployment phone certification - said I didn't return to work

omg the same thing happened to me last month!! dont panic too much, there's ways to fix it. u need to keep trying the main number or try to reach them thru the message center on ur account

This is a common problem with phone certification. You need to do two things immediately: 1. Document the error by sending a message through your online account's secure message center explaining exactly what happened and when 2. Continue trying to reach a claims specialist at 888-209-8124 Don't panic - this isn't considered fraud if you take steps to correct it right away. You'll likely need to repay any benefits received in error, but there shouldn't be penalties if you're proactive.

The same exact thing happened to me last year! I was actually SHAKING thinking they were going to come after me for fraud!!! I couldn't sleep for days and kept imagining the worst possible scenarios. What if they audit me? What if they think I'm lying when I say it was a mistake? What if they make me pay back EVERYTHING with penalties?? The phone system is so confusing!!

After dealing with this exact situation twice last year, I found a service called Claimyr that got me through to an agent in under 20 minutes when I'd been trying for days. They basically call for you and transfer you when they get a rep. Saved me so much stress! There's a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE Regarding your specific issue - make sure to emphasize it was an unintentional error during the phone certification. They deal with this all the time and have a process for corrections.

Benefits Specialist here. This is what you need to know: 1. This is classified as a "certification error" not fraud, provided you report it immediately 2. Document everything - dates, times, and methods you've used trying to contact them 3. You'll need to complete form TC-FOC (Certification Error Correction) which can be submitted through your online account 4. Continue trying to reach an agent at the main number (888-209-8124) 5. If you receive payment, DO NOT SPEND IT - you will need to return it The correction process typically takes 7-10 business days once you reach an agent. If you can't get through by phone after multiple attempts, try visiting your nearest NY Career Center in person with your documentation.

my cousin works at walmart and says they got a special unemployment hotline number for employees... not helpful for u but why dont they have special numbers for everyone??

UPDATE: I finally got through using that Claimyr service mentioned above! The agent was super helpful and said this happens all the time with the phone system. They've corrected my certification and I just need to pay back the incorrect payment once it posts to my account. No penalties since I reported it right away! Thanks everyone for your help and suggestions!