NY unemployment website locked me out after 3 wrong password attempts - now what?
So I was trying to login to my NY unemployment account this morning to submit my weekly certification, and I must have typed my password wrong 3 times in a row. Now I'm completely locked out with a message saying 'Your account has been temporarily disabled due to multiple unsuccessful login attempts.' I tried the 'Forgot Password' link but after I go through all those steps, it still won't let me back in! The message says I need to wait 24 hours, but my certification is due TODAY or I'll miss this week's payment. Has anyone dealt with this before? Is there any way to get back in sooner? I really can't afford to miss this payment!
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Mateo Gonzalez
same thing happened 2 me last month. u gotta wait the full 24 hrs, no way around it. system sucks!!
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Nia Harris
•Seriously?? But the website clearly says if I don't certify by midnight tonight I'll lose my benefits for this week. This is so unfair!
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Aisha Ali
You actually have until next Saturday to certify for this week's benefits. The NY DOL gives you a full week to submit your certification, not just the day it becomes available. So even though you're locked out today, you can still certify tomorrow or the next day without losing your payment. The 24-hour lockout is a security feature they implemented in 2025 to prevent unauthorized access attempts.
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Nia Harris
•Oh thank god! I've been panicking all morning thinking I'd lose my benefits. Are you sure about this? The notice I got when I first filed made it sound like I HAD to do it on my assigned day.
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Aisha Ali
•Yes, I'm positive. You have your assigned day when certification first becomes available (usually Sunday for most people), but you actually have until the following Saturday at midnight to complete it. It's not well explained on the website, but that's how it works. You'll be fine as long as you certify within the week.
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Ethan Moore
Have you tried calling the claims center directly? Sometimes they can override the lockout if you explain your situation. I know reaching them is nearly impossible though... I spent 3 days trying to get through last month when I had an issue with my claim.
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Nia Harris
•I tried calling the main number but it just gives me automated responses. Is there a direct number to an actual human being?
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Ethan Moore
•The main number (888-209-8124) is your best bet, but you have to keep pressing 0 or saying "representative" at each prompt. Even then, it's a total nightmare to get through. I literally called 40+ times over several days before I got a human.
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Yuki Nakamura
Another option to try: use a different browser or clear your cache/cookies completely. Sometimes the NY unemployment site keeps old session data and that can cause login issues even after the 24-hour lockout period ends. I've had better luck with Firefox than Chrome when accessing the site.
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Mateo Gonzalez
•this!!! the ny unemployment website is TRASH on chrome. use firefox or edge & itll work way better
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StarSurfer
I work in IT (not for NY unemployment lol) but these account lockouts are pretty standard security features. The 24 hour thing is annoying but it's actually protecting your account. What's MORE annoying is that some government sites count CAPS LOCK as a failed password attempt even if you type the right password. So maybe check that next time? Just a thought.
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Nia Harris
•Omg I bet that's what happened! I was in a hurry and probably had caps lock on without realizing it. Such a rookie mistake 🤦♀️
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Carmen Reyes
To add to what others have said, once you get back into your account, I strongly recommend setting up two-factor authentication if you haven't already. NY unemployment started offering this in January 2025, and it's much better than just relying on a password. With 2FA enabled, even if you forget your password, you can still get in using the verification code they send to your phone.
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Nia Harris
•That's a good idea, I'll definitely set that up once I can get back in. Do you know where in the account settings I can find that option?
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