NYS Department of Labor account locked - how long will my unemployment account be locked?
My my.ny.gov account got locked yesterday after I entered my password wrong too many times trying to file my weekly claim. The system just says 'account temporarily locked' but doesn't give any timeframe. I'm really stressed because I need to certify by Sunday and I can't afford to miss a week. Has anyone dealt with this before? How long will my unemployment account be locked and is there a way to get it unlocked faster?
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Taylor To
Account lockouts from too many failed login attempts usually last 24 hours automatically. However, you can call the technical support line at 1-888-899-8810 to get it unlocked immediately. They're available Monday-Friday 8am-5pm. Make sure you have your SSN and the email associated with your my.ny.gov account ready.
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Oliver Cheng
•Thank you! I'll try calling them first thing Monday morning. Do you know if missing one week will mess up my claim status?
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Ella Cofer
ugh this happened to me last month!! SO frustrating. I couldn't get through on the phone so I just waited it out. took exactly 24 hours from when it got locked. set a timer and tried logging in exactly 24 hours later and it worked
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Oliver Cheng
•That's a relief to know it's only 24 hours. I was worried it might be days or weeks!
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Kevin Bell
If you can't get through to tech support, there's actually a service called Claimyr that helps people get through to NYS Department of Labor agents quickly. I used it when I had adjudication issues and couldn't reach anyone for weeks. Check out claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Might be worth it if you're really stuck.
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Savannah Glover
•Never heard of that before. Does it actually work or is it just another scam?
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Kevin Bell
•It's legit - I was skeptical too but they actually got me connected to a real NYS Department of Labor person who fixed my account issue same day.
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Felix Grigori
Same thing happened to my neighbor but she said it took 3 days to unlock. Maybe it depends on how many times you tried? The whole system is so outdated and glitchy
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Taylor To
•That might have been a different type of lock. Security lockouts from failed passwords are typically 24 hours, but if there were fraud concerns or identity verification issues, those can take longer to resolve.
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Felicity Bud
just wanted to say good luck! this stuff is so stressful when you're depending on the benefits
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Landon Flounder
I went through this exact same situation a few months ago! The 24-hour lockout is usually accurate, but here's what I learned: if you can't wait that long, try using the "Forgot Password" option instead of calling tech support. Sometimes resetting your password will unlock the account immediately. Also, make sure you're using the correct login page - I was accidentally trying to log into the wrong portal which kept giving me errors. The correct one is my.ny.gov, then navigate to unemployment services from there. Hope this helps and you get it sorted before your certification deadline!
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CosmicCadet
•Great tip about the password reset! I didn't even think of that. I was so panicked about being locked out that I just assumed I had to wait or call. I'll definitely try the "Forgot Password" option first thing in the morning before calling tech support. And thanks for confirming the correct login portal - with all these different NY government websites it's easy to get confused about which one to use.
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Jasmine Quinn
I had this happen to me twice last year and both times it was exactly 24 hours from when the lockout occurred. The system is pretty strict about it - I tried logging in at 23 hours and 50 minutes and it still said locked, but right at the 24 hour mark it let me back in. One thing to keep in mind is that even if you miss your certification deadline due to the lockout, you can usually call the claims center to explain the technical issue and they'll allow you to certify late without penalty. I had to do this once and they were understanding about system problems. Document the exact time your account got locked so you know when to try again!
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Luca Esposito
•That's really helpful to know about the exact 24-hour timing! I'll definitely document when it got locked and set a reminder. It's also reassuring to hear that they're understanding about system issues when it comes to late certification - I was worried I'd lose my benefits entirely if I missed the deadline. Thanks for sharing your experience, it makes me feel a lot less stressed about the whole situation.
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Gavin King
I actually work for a company that helps people navigate these government systems, and I can confirm that the 24-hour lockout is standard for failed login attempts on my.ny.gov. However, I'd recommend trying the password reset option first before waiting the full 24 hours - it often bypasses the lockout immediately. If that doesn't work and you can't get through to tech support, you might also try clearing your browser cache and cookies, then using a different browser entirely. Sometimes the lockout is tied to your browser session rather than just your account. Also, pro tip: when you do get back in, write down your login info somewhere secure so this doesn't happen again during a stressful week!
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Jungleboo Soletrain
•Thanks for the professional insight! The browser cache/cookies tip is something I hadn't considered - that's really smart. I'll definitely try the password reset first, then clear my browser data if that doesn't work. And you're absolutely right about writing down the login info securely afterwards. I think part of why I got locked out was because I was trying variations of what I thought my password was instead of being certain. Really appreciate everyone's help here - this community is so supportive when dealing with these frustrating system issues!
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