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Sean Flanagan

NY unemployment ID.me verification nightmare - who to contact as seasonal state worker?

I'm a seasonal worker for New York State and just got laid off for the season. I tried filing for NY unemployment but I'm completely stuck on this ID.me verification step. The instructions specifically say DO NOT call the unemployment office for help with ID.me because they can't help with this step. So who am I supposed to contact?? I've tried the ID.me support but they're taking forever to respond. It's frustrating because I'm literally a State Employee and they're making this unnecessarily difficult! Has anyone else dealt with this ID.me verification process? Did you find any workarounds or someone who can actually help?

Zara Shah

The ID.me verification is a separate system from NYSDOL. You need to contact ID.me support directly at support@id.me or through their help center. They're usually responsive within 24-48 hours. Make sure to mention you're a NY state seasonal employee filing for unemployment benefits in your support ticket.

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Sean Flanagan

Thanks for responding. I emailed them 3 days ago and haven't heard back. Do they have a phone number? The weird thing is that I verified with ID.me for my taxes last year with no issues, but now it's giving me problems for unemployment.

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NebulaNomad

Ugh i had the same issue last month!! SO ANNOYING. NYS makes everything 10x harder than it needs to be. took me TWO WEEKS to get through the id.me thing and by then i almost missed a payment period!!

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Sean Flanagan

Two weeks?? I can't wait that long, I have bills due next week! Did you just keep trying the verification or did you find someone who could help?

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NebulaNomad

i just kept trying different browsers and eventually it worked on Microsoft Edge of all things lol. but i had to do the video verification thing with a person which took FOREVER to get scheduled

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Luca Ferrari

I help people with unemployment issues and the ID.me verification is definitely one of the most common roadblocks. Here's what you need to know: 1. ID.me is a third-party identity verification service, not part of NYSDOL 2. Common issues include: camera problems, document scanning issues, facial recognition failures 3. You can try the ID.me help center (help.id.me) or call them at 866-775-4363 4. If you're getting stuck on the video verification step, try early morning (5-7am) when wait times are shortest As a state employee, your verification should be straightforward since your information is already in the system. Make sure the name, DOB, and SSN you're entering exactly match your official records.

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Sean Flanagan

Thank you! I didn't know they had a phone number. I'll try calling them tomorrow morning. Do you know if there's any way to bypass this step since I'm already verified in the NY state system?

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Luca Ferrari

Unfortunately, there's no bypass - even state employees need to complete ID.me verification. It's a security measure to prevent unemployment fraud. Make sure you have multiple forms of ID ready (driver's license, passport, etc.) and a good internet connection for the video call if it comes to that.

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Nia Wilson

Have you tried using the ID.me self-help tool? Sometimes it can resolve issues without waiting for customer service. Go to help.id.me and click on "Solving Verification Problems." Also check that you're using a supported browser (Chrome works best) and that your camera permissions are enabled.

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Sean Flanagan

I tried their self-help tool but it just kept sending me in circles. My camera works fine for everything else, but the ID.me system keeps saying it can't detect my face properly. I'll try Chrome instead of Safari though, thanks for the tip.

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Mateo Martinez

When I got stuck with the ID.me nightmare last year I was pulling my hair out trying to reach someone. After days of frustration I found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an actual human at NYSDOL. Even though they say they can't help with ID.me specifically, the agent I spoke with gave me some workarounds and escalated my case. They have a video that shows how it works: https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE - it saved me a ton of headaches.

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Sean Flanagan

Thanks! I thought NYSDOL couldn't help with ID.me issues? Did they actually resolve your problem or just give advice?

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Mateo Martinez

They can't directly fix ID.me issues, but the agent I talked to had dealt with this so many times she knew exactly what to do. She recommended specific steps to fix my verification problems and put a note on my account so my claim wouldn't be delayed while I sorted out the ID.me stuff. Definitely worth the call.

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Aisha Hussain

The whole ID.me thing is RIDICULOUS!!! They implemented this system in 2023 and it's STILL broken in 2025?? I'm a tech person and even I struggle with it. The state contracts these third-party companies that don't work half the time and then tells us not to call them for help. MAKE IT MAKE SENSE.

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NebulaNomad

RIGHT?? and then they blame US when we cant get through the system they chose!!

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Aisha Hussain

EXACTLY! And then they wonder why people get behind on their bills when they've got us jumping through impossible hoops just to get benefits we've EARNED. The system is designed to discourage people from collecting.

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Ethan Clark

One thing that really helped me with my ID.me verification was making sure I was in a well-lit room with a plain background. The facial recognition is really sensitive to shadows and background objects. Also, if you wear glasses, take them off for the verification photo even if you wear them in your ID photo. For some reason that worked for me when nothing else would!

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Sean Flanagan

That's a good idea, I'll try that tonight. I was trying to do it in my living room which does have some shadows. And I do wear glasses so maybe that's part of the problem!

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StarStrider

im also a seasonal worker for parks and rec every summer they lay us off and every winter its the same headache with unemployment. idk why they dont have a special system for state workers who they KNOW are legitimate???

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Sean Flanagan

Right? You'd think there would be an easier verification pathway for state employees. It's like the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing.

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Zara Shah

Just wanted to follow up - were you able to get your ID.me verification sorted out? If you're still having issues, there's a specific pathway for state employees. You can request a referral code from your agency's HR department that can sometimes expedite the ID.me process. Not all HR reps know about this, so you might need to specifically ask for the "Trusted Referee Vouching" option.

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Sean Flanagan

I got it working! After trying multiple browsers and following the lighting suggestions, it finally accepted my verification. Now I'm just waiting for NYSDOL to process my claim. Thanks everyone for your help - this community saved me so much frustration!

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Luca Ferrari

Great to hear you got it working! For anyone else reading this thread in the future - the ID.me issues are usually technical (browser compatibility, camera settings, lighting) rather than eligibility-related. And as a tip, your ID.me verification will be valid for future years, so you won't have to go through this again next season.

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