NY unemployment website down today - 'systems not available' error message

yep its down for me 2. tried on my phone and laptop

The system does occasionally go down for maintenance, but it's unusual for it to last more than a few hours. According to the NYSDOL website, they typically perform maintenance between 12am-6am. If you need to certify today, keep trying throughout the day. They usually restore service fairly quickly.

I'm having the same problem!!! This is the 3rd time this has happened to me in 2025. The system is ALWAYS crashing right when I need to certify. Last time I ended up missing my certification deadline and had to go through this whole annoying process to get my payment released. The NYSDOL is a joke!!!

Yes, you can certify by phone using the automated Tel-Service system at 1-888-581-5812. Follow the prompts and have your PIN ready. If you've never used it before, you'll need to set up a PIN. The system is available 24/7, so it's a good backup when the website is down.

This happened to me last month right when rent was due...I freaked out but then tried later that night around 9pm and it was working again. Maybe try late tonight? Good luck!

The phone certification process is similar but simplified. Just answer the automated questions honestly about whether you worked, refused work, were ready/able to work, etc. It's actually pretty straightforward, and you'll get a confirmation number at the end that you should write down as proof of certification.

I just tried calling that Tel-Service number but kept getting busy signals. After trying like 20 times, I finally got through to the automated system but then it hung up on me halfway through the certification! So frustrating when I need this money for rent!

Btw I just checked Twitter and NYSDOL posted that they're having technical difficulties and working to fix it. They said the system should be back up by 5pm today.

@original poster - claimyr works for reaching agents, but for certification you should be able to use the automated system directly. keep trying the tel-service number, sometimes it takes multiple attempts but its better than waiting for the website to come back

For anyone still having issues, remember that NY unemployment gives you until midnight on the last day of your certification window to complete it. So if today is your last day, you have until 11:59pm. Also, if you can't certify due to a verified system outage, you can request a backdated certification by calling and speaking with a representative once the systems are back online.

Update: I finally got through on the Tel-Service line and completed my certification! Took about 12 tries but eventually connected. Thanks everyone for your help. For anyone else having trouble, keep trying the phone system at 1-888-581-5812. The website is still giving me the error message.

websites back up now just fyi