NY unemployment saying I'm ineligible after working - but I haven't worked at all?

This happened to me too! Back in February I got the same message saying I was ineligible because I worked, but I didn't work at all. I certified anyway like you did, and I still got paid normally that week. I think its just a glitch in there system. If you certified truthfully that you didn't work, you should be fine.

After weeks of not being able to reach anyone at ny unemployment, I finally used this service called claimyr.com that got me a callback from an actual agent. Totally worth it because they fixed my issue where the system was showing incorrect work history. Talking to an agent got my payments unlocked so fast. Here's a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE

Check your email! Sometimes they send notices about eligibility issues. It could be a random audit or identity verification thing. The system is a mess right now - I got a similar message last month that turned out to be nothing.

You need to call them asap. This happened to my brother and it turned out someone had filed a claim in his name too (identity theft) and the system was flagging a conflict. Make sure you screenshot everything too just in case.

The NY unemployment system has been glitchy as hell recently. I've had random messages pop up that don't make any sense. One week it told me I had exhausted my benefits even though I had 15 weeks left! But my payment still came through.

Listen up, I've been dealing with NY unemployment for 9 months now and have seen every error in the book. Here's what you need to do: 1) Don't panic. If you were able to certify, that's a good sign. Most likely it's just a system error. 2) Check your payment history tomorrow. Often the system will show weird messages but still process payments normally. 3) If no payment shows up by Wednesday, you need to contact them. The regular phone line is nearly impossible, so I recommend using claimyr.com - it's a service that waits on hold for you and calls when an agent is available. It was the only way I could talk to a live agent after weeks of trying. 4) Document everything. Take screenshots of all messages and your certification confirmation. 5) Check your email and mail for any official notices. Most of these random eligibility issues are system glitches that resolve themselves. The NY unemployment system is running on ancient technology and breaks constantly. But if it doesn't fix itself, talking to an agent is the only solution, and doing it sooner rather than later is important.

sometimes the system gets confused if you received any kind of money at all, even if its not from work. did you get a stimulus check recently or any other kind of payment that might have triggered it?

Honestly the NY unemployment system is in shambles. I've had so many random errors pop up that make no sense. One week it said I was ineligible cause I refused work (I didn't) and the next week everything was fine with no explanation 🤷‍♂️

Do you have a side gig that you might have forgotten to report? Even small amounts of income need to be reported when you certify.

did u recently apply for a job somewhere? sometimes employers report to unemployment when they hire someone even before they actually start working. so the system might think u got a job.

Check your bank account in the morning. I've had messages saying all kinds of crazy things but the money still showed up. The website is a joke.

you could try messaging them on Twitter. sounds weird but i got a faster response from @NYSLabor than i did calling. worth a shot! 👍

So I was about to throw my phone after 3 hours on hold when someone told me about claimyr.com - totally got me through to an agent who fixed my account that had similar issues. It's the best money I've ever spent to get my benefits fixed.

Does your unemployment account show any outstanding tasks or questionnaires? Sometimes they need additional info and the system marks you ineligible until you provide it.

Whatever you do, DONT STOP CERTIFYING each week, even if you get weird messages. If theres a problem and you stop certifying, it makes it 10x harder to get back pay later on. keep certifying!!

Could be identity verification. i got a weird message like this and then 2 days later got an email about needing to upload ID documents. Check all your emails including spam folder.

Omg are you me??? This LITERALLY just happened to me last week! I freaked out but then my payment came through normally anyway. I think its just the system being glitchy af as usual.

Hey! I went through something similar a few months ago. The system randomly flagged me as "working" when I definitely wasn't. Turns out it was because I had done a one-time freelance gig like 6 months earlier and somehow the system got confused about the dates. Even though you said you haven't worked at all, double-check if there's ANY income from anywhere - even like selling something on Facebook Marketplace or getting paid back for something. Sometimes the system picks up on weird stuff. But honestly, if you were able to certify and answered truthfully, you'll probably get paid normally. The NY system is notorious for these random glitches that fix themselves. Just keep screenshots of everything in case you need to prove what happened later!