NY unemployment showing $0 after ID.me verification - need help with back pay

I went through almost exactly this in January. The $0 showing up usually means one of three things: 1) They need additional wage verification from your boyfriend's employer, 2) There's a problem with his work history data in the system, or 3) The claim is still processing despite showing as "approved". For the letter they mentioned, it needs to be uploaded through your NY.gov account under "Documents" - there's no direct email address because everything goes through the secure message system. Make sure the letter includes his name, last 4 of SSN, and claim ID number at the top. And they absolutely DO provide back pay! It's called "backdating" a claim and they can definitely pay for those missed weeks if he was eligible. Make sure he continues to certify each week even while this is getting sorted out.

the $0 is because they probably cant verify his wage info. happened to me too. tell him to upload his W2 from last year and his last few paystubs. that fixed it for me but took like 2 weeks to process after i uploaded them.

Regarding the back pay issue - they absolutely DO provide back pay for eligible weeks. What the representative likely meant is that they don't automatically process back payments without documentation and review. Your boyfriend will need to request backdating through the proper channels. For the $0 benefit amount, this typically indicates a wage verification issue. The system hasn't properly calculated his benefit rate because it can't access or verify his past wages. Here's what he should do: 1. Upload all relevant wage documents (W-2, paystubs) through the document upload section in his NY.gov account 2. Include a cover letter explaining the situation clearly, including dates of employment and reason for separation 3. Request specific backdating to cover those 3 weeks he missed due to the ID.me issues 4. Continue certifying weekly while this gets resolved If he's been told his claim is approved but showing $0, something isn't matching up. He needs to speak directly with a claims specialist, not just a general customer service rep.

I went through a similar nightmare last month and getting through to someone who actually understood claim issues was IMPOSSIBLE. I spent HOURS calling that 888 number just to get disconnected or put on hold forever. FINALLY I found Claimyr (claimyr.com) which got me connected to an actual NYSDOL agent in about 15 minutes instead of hours of redial hell. They have a demo video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE The agent I spoke with was able to see that my claim had a wage investigation flag on it (sounds similar to your boyfriend's situation with the $0 amount). She removed the flag, processed my back weeks, and I had my money within 3 days. Sometimes you just need to talk to the right person!

YO the benefit amount showing $0 happens ALL THE TIME in 2025 because their system keeps glitching on wage verification! My roommate got the same thing last month. Actually with the ID.me stuff too, like exactly the same. Took like 2 weeks to fix once he got thru to someone. They're so backed up its ridiculous

I HAD THIS EXACT PROBLEM!! The system is completely broken and they LIE about what you need to do. I was told I needed to write a letter too, then upload documents, then call about backdating - all different instructions from different reps! And they all acted like I was stupid for not knowing their ridiculous processes. I finally got everything fixed but it took 7 WEEKS to get my money!!!! SEVEN WEEKS!!! The ONLY thing that worked was calling repeatedly until I got someone who actually knew how to fix it. The ID.me verification creates some kind of flag on your account that regular reps don't know how to clear. Ask specifically for a CLAIMS SPECIALIST not just any rep.

To answer your earlier question about the letter - yes, specific terminology helps. Have him write "REQUEST FOR WAGE INVESTIGATION AND CLAIM BACKDATING" at the top of the letter. Then include: 1. Full name and last 4 of SSN 2. NY.gov ID and claim ID number 3. Employer name, address, and UI employer number (if he knows it) 4. Dates of employment (start and end/furlough date) 5. Weekly earnings amount 6. Reason for separation (temporarily laid off, furloughed, reduction in hours, etc.) 7. Specific dates he's requesting backdating for and why (ID.me verification issues) Make it clear, concise, and include copies (not originals) of supporting documents. This approach worked for me and several others I've helped through the process.

Based on your description, your boyfriend is experiencing a wage investigation delay combined with an ID.me verification resolution that hasn't fully processed in the system. Here's what's happening: 1. The six-month claim expiration is likely referring to a Benefit Year Ending (BYE) date, which requires filing a new claim. 2. The $0 balance typically means the system hasn't verified wages from his employer yet. This is a processing issue, not a denial. 3. The letter they're referring to should be uploaded through his NY.gov account under "Documents" - there's a specific section for uploading wage verification documents. 4. Regarding back pay (or "backdating" in NYSDOL terminology), this is absolutely available for weeks he was eligible but unable to claim due to technical issues. The representative was incorrect. I recommend he uploads his wage documentation (W-2, recent paystubs) AND continues to certify weekly while this is resolved. Once the wage investigation concludes, he should receive all eligible back weeks in a lump sum payment.

Early morning calling is the best!!! I finally got thru at 8:05AM on a Tuesday. They open at 8 and if you start calling right at 8 you might get lucky before the system gets overwhelmed. Fridays are TERRIBLE dont even bother!!!

My sister works for a company that does payroll and she says the whole $0 benefit thing is happening because NYSDOL changed their wage reporting system in 2025 and a bunch of employer reports got messed up. Might not even be your boyfriends fault or his employers fault - could just be the system lost the connection between his SSN and the wage reports. Super annoying but fixable!

One important point I forgot to mention: while your boyfriend is dealing with this wage verification issue, he should request a monetary redetermination specifically. This is the formal process to have his wages reviewed when they're not showing correctly in the system. The process requires: 1. Uploading all wage documentation (W-2s, paystubs) 2. Submitting a letter requesting "monetary redetermination" 3. Continuing to certify weekly This specific language will help ensure his case gets routed to the correct department. Monetary redetermination requests are typically processed within 10-14 business days. If he doesn't see movement after that period, that's when he should escalate by phone. Keep all documentation of his attempts to resolve this as well - dates of calls, upload confirmations, etc. This will be helpful if there are any disputes about timeliness later.

Just wanted to update - calling early is definitely better but I still couldn't get through doing that for a whole week. The Claimyr service I mentioned was worth it for me personally because I have kids and couldn't spend all day redialing. But if you have the time and patience to keep trying at 8am, that's probably your best bet. Just be prepared that even when you get through, the first person you talk to might not be able to help with complicated issues like wage investigations.

UPDATE: You guys are all amazing! We followed the advice about uploading his wage documents with a letter specifically requesting "monetary redetermination" and "claim backdating" (used those exact terms). Called at 8:01am this morning and got through after only 4 attempts! The claims specialist confirmed there was a wage verification flag and that the ID.me completion hadn't fully processed in their system. She was able to fix both issues during the call, and said payments should start processing within 3-5 business days including the back weeks! THANK YOU ALL for your help - this community saved us so much stress and confusion!