NY unemployment website completely inaccessible for 3 days straight

same here! been down since tuesday for me. i keep getting this weird error message that says something about 'database connection timed out' and then it kicks me back to the login page. tried 3 different browsers and even my phone. nothing works 😤

After dealing with the same problem for DAYS, I finally found a solution! I used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected with an actual human being at unemployment. They stayed on hold for me and then called me when they got through to an agent. The agent was able to help me certify by phone and confirmed the site is having major technical issues. Best money I've ever spent to get my benefits sorted out. Check out this video that explains how it works: https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE

YUP it's been down for me too. Tried to call and gave up after being on hold for 2 HOURS!! I'm so sick of this system. how am i supposed to pay rent when I can't even access the site to get my money??

I think they're doing some major system updates. My friend works in IT and said they saw something on Twitter about the NY unemployment system getting a database upgrade this week. But of course they didn't bother to tell anyone or put a proper notification on the site 🤦‍♂️

PSA: You can still certify by phone if the website is down! Call 1-888-581-5812 for regular UI claims. You'll need your PIN. It's automated and works 24/7. Not as convenient as the website but at least you won't miss your certification deadline.

Not just you, I think half of NY is having the same problem right now. My neighbor said she got through by using Internet Explorer of all things. Might be worth a try if you're desperate.

I work in web development and this is 100% a server-side issue with their database. Nothing you can do on your end will fix it - they need to resolve it on their side. Classic government IT infrastructure failing when people need it most.

Here's what I've learned after dealing with NY unemployment for 5 months: The website goes down frequently, especially end of month when too many people are certifying at once. Your best options are: 1) Try very early morning (4-5am) when traffic is lowest 2) Use the automated phone system for certifying 3) If you absolutely need to speak to someone, use Claimyr.com - they'll wait on hold and get you connected to an agent 4) Check their Twitter for updates (sometimes they post about outages) 5) If you miss certification because of their system issues, explain that when you eventually get through and they can usually backdate it The system is incredibly frustrating but hang in there. Document everything - screenshot error messages, note dates/times you tried to access the system. This can help if they try to deny you benefits because of their own technical issues.

I found a workaround!!! If you go to the mobile version of the site (just add /m to the end of the URL) it seems to be working. Just certified this way and got my confirmation number. Interface is ugly but it works!

anyone try calling their local unemployment office instead of the main number? sometimes the local offices can help when the main system is down.

The WORST part is that they'll probably blame us if we miss certification because THEIR system is down. Classic ny unemployment move.

not working for me either. this is seriously affecting my mental health at this point. i'm already stressed about money and now this??

If you absolutely need to get through right now, check out claimyr.com - it costs money but it's the only thing that worked for me last time this happened. they call the office for you and connect you with an agent when they get through.

This feels deliberate tbh. Election year and they're making it harder to collect benefits. 🤔