NY unemployment claim stuck in ID.me verification review since January - no payments

same thing happened to me! took them 7 weeks to finish the "review" and suddenly all my payments appeared at once. no explanation, no nothing. the system is broken af

This is unfortunately common with NY unemployment right now. The ID.me verification can create a hold on your claim while they conduct a security review. The department is currently experiencing longer than usual processing times due to their new fraud prevention system implemented in December 2024. In the meantime, make sure you: 1. Continue certifying every week without fail 2. Check your DocuSign inbox for any forms they might have sent requiring your signature 3. Verify your NY.gov ID account has all your current contact information 4. Look for any messages in your online account inbox that might explain the hold The good news is that once approved, you'll receive all back payments you're entitled to in a lump sum.

I went through the exact same thing in February! The phone reps are absolutely useless - they just read from the same script about "claim being reviewed" without giving any actual information. What worked for me was contacting my state assembly member's office. Seriously, I was stuck for 5 weeks, contacted my assembly member on a Monday, and by Thursday my claim was processed and all backpay was in my account by the following Tuesday. Google "[your county] NY state assembly member" and most have unemployment assistance request forms right on their websites. They have direct lines to NYSDOL that we don't have access to.

After trying to get through to NYSDOL for weeks about my stuck claim, I finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) and got connected to an agent in about 20 minutes instead of spending hours on hold. The agent was able to see exactly why my claim was held up (missing employment verification) and told me what to upload to fix it. Totally worth it for me since I was losing my mind trying to get answers. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE

THE WHOLE SYSTEM IS A DISASTER!! I went thru this nightmare in January and didn't get paid until MARCH!! Keep calling EVERY DAY and DEMAND to speak to a supervisor. The regular agents are trained to tell you nothing. Supervisors can actually see what's happening and sometimes push it through. Also CONTACT YOUR STATE SENATOR not just assembly person!! They can often get things moving faster than assembly office. This is RIDICULOUS that we have to jump through hoops just to get the benefits we deserve!!

One additional thing to check - log into your NY.gov account and go to the "Messages" section. Sometimes they send requests for additional information but don't notify you by email or text. I've seen many cases where claims were delayed because people missed these messages. Also, check if your claim status says "pending" or if it shows any specific issue like "identity verification" or "employment verification." This can give you a clue about what's causing the delay.

have u tried calling right when they open at 8am? thats when i finally got thru

Something to consider - the ID.me verification delays often happen when there's a discrepancy between your ID.me information and your claim information. Even minor differences can trigger a manual review. Double-check that your name, address, and SSN are exactly the same on both systems. If there's even a slight difference (like using your full legal name on one system but a nickname on another), it can cause these extended reviews.

btw did u try the callback feature on the phone system? it sometimes works better than staying on hold

Just wanted to check in - any progress with your claim? Did you try contacting your assembly member?

my cousin had the same problem and it turns out he checked the wrong box somewhere on his application... might be worth going thru your initial claim again with someone on the phone to see if theres a simple mistake thats holding things up

I'm going through the exact same thing right now! Filed in late January and still stuck in ID.me verification hell with no payments. The worst part is not knowing HOW LONG this will actually take. I've been reading horror stories online about people waiting 2-3 months. One thing that helped me feel a little better was calling my local legal aid office - they said this is super common right now and that NY changed their fraud detection system which is causing all these delays. They also told me to document everything (dates I called, who I spoke to, etc.) in case I need to file an appeal later. Also try calling the Spanish language line even if you speak English - I heard they have shorter wait times and the agents can help in English too. The number is 1-888-209-8124. Worth a shot when you're desperate! Hang in there - at least we're not alone in this nightmare 😫

This thread is so helpful - I'm dealing with the exact same situation! Filed my claim in mid-January and have been stuck in ID.me verification limbo for 6 weeks now. I've been certifying every week religiously but haven't seen a penny. What's really frustrating is that when I finally got through to someone last week, they said my case was "escalated to a specialist" but couldn't give me any timeframe. The agent literally said "it could be tomorrow, it could be next month" - like thanks for nothing! 🙄 I'm definitely going to try contacting my assembly member after reading all these success stories. I'm in Queens so I'll look up who represents my district. Also going to check if there are any discrepancies between my ID.me info and my claim - I never thought about that before but it makes total sense. The stress of not knowing when (or if!) the money will come is almost worse than not having it. At least with regular unemployment you know what to expect. This new system is clearly broken and it's affecting so many people. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences and tips!