NY unemployment ID.me verification keeps failing - can't recertify benefits

This is actually a pretty common issue with ID.me verification for NY unemployment. A few things to check: 1. Make sure your ID isn't expired 2. The name on your ID must EXACTLY match what's in the unemployment system 3. Try using a different browser or device - sometimes their system has issues with certain phones 4. Make sure the lighting is good when taking photos - no glare or shadows 5. If you have another form of ID (passport, state ID), try using that instead If none of that works, you'll need to contact an agent directly to have them help verify your identity and process your recertification.

had the same problem last month, super annoying. tried like 5 times b4 it worked. make sure ur using good lighting when u take the selfie part and that all 4 corners of ur ID are visible in the pic

I had this exact problem in January. The issue was that the address on my license didn't match the address I used when applying for unemployment. Also make sure you're answering all those verification questions correctly - they pull info from your credit report and if you make a mistake, it fails you automatically. If you keep having problems, you need to talk to a live agent at NYSDOL. They can override the ID.me requirement in some cases or help guide you through it. Good luck getting through to them though...

After struggling with the ID.me verification for almost a week, I was about to lose my mind! I'd tried everything - different browsers, different devices, better lighting - nothing worked. I kept getting the same error message. I needed to speak with an actual person but couldn't get through to NYSDOL. I ended up using a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com). They basically hold your place in the phone queue and call you when they get an agent on the line. Saved me hours of waiting on hold. Check out their demo: https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE When I finally spoke with an agent, they told me there was a mismatch between my SSN and name formatting in their system (I have a hyphenated last name). They fixed it on their end and I was able to complete the ID.me verification right after.

@Confused_in_Brooklyn - It worked for me! Nothing sketchy about it - they just hold your place in line and call you when they reach an agent. You still talk directly to NYSDOL yourself. Much better than spending all day redialing.

THE ID.ME SYSTEM IS COMPLETE GARBAGE!!! I had the EXACT same problem and wasted TWO WEEKS trying to get it to work!! They do this ON PURPOSE to deny people benefits!!! I finally had to go to the actual unemployment office in person with MULTIPLE forms of ID before they would help me. The whole system is designed to make you give up!!

There are NY Career Centers that can sometimes help with unemployment issues. I went to the one in downtown Brooklyn. Bring EVERY piece of ID you have - social security card, birth certificate, passport if you have one, utility bills with your address, everything. Be prepared to wait ALL DAY but at least you'll talk to a real person.

Hi there! I work as a career counselor and help people with unemployment issues sometimes. One thing nobody mentioned is that ID.me has their own customer service that's separate from NYSDOL. You can contact them directly at help.id.me and they can often tell you exactly what's causing the verification to fail. They might be able to help you without having to go through the NYSDOL phone maze at all!

update us if u fix it! i bet its the address thing

UPDATE: I got it fixed!!! It WAS the address mismatch between my license and unemployment account. I contacted ID.me support directly like @HelpfulCareerPro suggested and they told me exactly what was wrong. Had to upload additional proof of address (utility bill) but finally got verified! Already completed my recertification for this week. Thank you everyone for your help!!!