NY unemployment website missing CAPTCHA preventing login - can't certify weekly benefits

This happened to me last week! Turns out some ad blockers and browser extensions can block the CAPTCHA from loading properly. Try disabling all your extensions, especially ad blockers, and then refresh the page. That worked for me after struggling for hours.

somtimes the page doesnt load right. try hitting ctrl+F5 to do a hard refresh. also make sure u have javascript enabled in ur browser settings.

I work in IT and this is a known issue with the NY unemployment portal that's been happening since their system update last month. It's not just you - they're having intermittent problems with their CAPTCHA integration. There are three things you can try: 1. Try accessing the site in incognito/private browsing mode 2. Try at odd hours (like very early morning or late night) when server load is lower 3. Try using Microsoft Edge browser specifically - for some reason it works better with their current system If none of that works, you'll need to call and certify by phone. The standard unemployment hotline can handle that.

OMG I had the EXACT same problem!!! It's THE WORST!!! I tried for THREE DAYS and kept getting that stupid error about the CAPTCHA not being completed when it wasn't even THERE! I was freaking out thinking I'd lose my benefits and not be able to pay rent this month!!!!! The phone lines are IMPOSSIBLE - I called like 50 times and couldn't get through!!

After dealing with this same issue last month, I discovered that using Claimyr.com actually helped me get through to an agent right away. They have a service that gets you to the front of the phone queue so you can certify by phone when the website has problems. Saved me hours of redial frustration. They have a video that shows how it works: https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE - honestly it was worth it when I was panicking about missing my certification deadline.

Classic NYSDOL... their website has been a mess for years. I remember when they did that big "upgrade" in 2023 and everything broke for like 3 months. I always take screenshots of every page when I certify now just in case they try to say I did something wrong. But anyway, have you tried using a totally different device? Like maybe borrow someone's iPad or something? Sometimes that works.

Just want to update everyone on this thread - I spoke with a NYSDOL rep yesterday about an unrelated issue, and they mentioned they're aware of the CAPTCHA problem. Apparently it's affecting users with certain IP addresses. Their tech team is working on it, but they didn't give a timeline for the fix. In the meantime, they suggested using the mobile app if possible or certifying by phone. Hope this helps!

UPDATE: I finally got it working! After trying literally everything suggested here, what ended up working was using my phone but turning OFF wifi and using cellular data instead. For some reason that made the CAPTCHA appear! I was able to certify for this week. Thank you all for your help and suggestions. If anyone else runs into this problem, try connecting through your cellular network instead of wifi!