NY unemployment identity verification pending for 6 weeks - bills piling up

Unfortunately this is happening to a lot of people right now. The ID verification system got upgraded in December 2024 and there have been major backlog issues since then. Have you tried contacting them through their secure message system on the NY.gov portal? Sometimes they respond faster there than by phone. Also, document EVERYTHING - take screenshots of your submitted documents, the pending status, and keep a log of every time you've tried to call (date, time, result). This will help if you need to escalate your case.

saaame boat, 7 weeks here. id verification is taking FOREVER this year!!

I had the exact same issue in February! Identity verification was pending for nearly 5 weeks. What finally worked for me was using Claimyr to get through to an actual agent. I was skeptical at first, but after weeks of getting nowhere I was desperate. The service connected me to a NYSDOL agent in about 20 minutes when I'd been unable to get through for weeks on my own. The agent manually reviewed my ID docs while I was on the phone and approved them right then. My payments (including all back payments) started processing the next day. Here's their site if you want to check it out: claimyr.com - they also have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE Just sharing what worked for me after weeks of frustration.

This happen to everyone nowdays. System broken and govenment dosn't care about us. I waited 9 weeks last year!!!! Unemployment is a joke

I'm a former unemployment specialist (not with NY, but another state), and here's what I can tell you about identity verification delays: 1. The backlog is real, especially since they implemented new fraud prevention measures in late 2024. 2. Some flags that might be causing your delay: - Name mismatch between ID documents and your claim - Address discrepancies - Previous claims from your address by other people - Suspicious IP activity when filing - Employer reported information doesn't match your application 3. What you should do: - Continue certifying weekly (as you've been doing) - Contact your state representative's office - they have special channels - If you reach someone, ask specifically: "Is there a specific issue flagged on my account or is it just in the general verification queue?" When your verification finally clears, you'll receive all back payments for weeks you properly certified, so keep doing that part.

omg im literally going thru the EXACT same thing!!! filed on Jan 9 and still stuck in id verification. called like 50 times and either busy signal or disconnected. this is my first time on unemployment and im freaking out. will they eventually backpay us for all these weeks once approved??

I'm just coming back to say I had this problem too. My identity verification was pending for almost 5 weeks. What worked for me was calling my state assembly person's office. I found them on nyassembly.gov by entering my address. Their office has special contacts at NYSDOL and they submitted an inquiry for me. My verification was approved 3 days later. Worth trying if you're still stuck!

Quick update - I tried the Claimyr service I mentioned before when stuck in ID verification. The agent I spoke with said they've been seeing tons of ID verification delays specifically for people who moved in the past year. Apparently their new system is super strict about address matching across all documents. When I finally got through, they were able to override the automated system since I had a human reviewing my documents in real-time.

UPDATE: I finally got through to someone! I tried both suggestions - contacted my assembly member's office AND used Claimyr to get through by phone. The assembly member's office took my info but said it might be 5-7 business days. I was desperate so I tried Claimyr too and got through to an agent in about 25 minutes. The agent confirmed exactly what you all said - my address on my driver's license didn't match my current address on the claim (I moved 3 months ago). She manually verified my identity while on the phone and said I should see the payments process within 3 business days, including all my backpay! THANK YOU everyone for the help. I was seriously losing it after 6 weeks of silence from them.

has anyone had id verification issues because they submitted a passport instead of a drivers license? thats what i did and im worried thats why mine is stuck too