NYS Department of Labor audit on my unemployment claim - what triggers an unemployment audit?

Audits can be triggered by several things - random selection, discrepancies in wage reporting between you and employers, or if you had any income while claiming. They might also audit if there were issues with your job separation or if you claimed benefits in multiple states. Don't panic, just gather all your documentation.

same thing happened to my brother, they audited him because his former employer disputed his claim after he was already approved for benefits. turned out fine but took forever to resolve

I went through an unemployment audit two years ago. In my case, it was triggered because I had reported freelance income inconsistently. The NYS Department of Labor wanted to verify my earnings matched what I reported on my weekly claims. You'll need your bank statements, pay stubs, tax returns, and job search log. Be thorough with your documentation.

If you're having trouble reaching NYS Department of Labor about your audit, I used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get through to an actual agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Really helped when I needed to discuss my audit status and what documents they needed.

AUDITS ARE JUST ANOTHER WAY FOR THEM TO DENY BENEFITS! I got audited and they found some tiny discrepancy in my job search log dates and tried to make me pay back $2000. The whole system is designed to trip you up.

Wait, can they audit you even after your claim is closed? I thought once you were done collecting benefits that was it. This is making me worried about my old claim from 2023.

I went through an audit last year and it was actually pretty straightforward once I gathered everything together. Mine was triggered because I had a gap in my employment history that didn't match what my employer reported. The key is to respond promptly to their requests and be completely transparent. I had to provide W-2s, 1099s, bank statements showing any deposits during my claim period, and my job search records. The whole process took about 6-8 weeks but they didn't find any issues since I had reported everything accurately. Just stay organized and don't let the stress get to you - most audits result in no overpayment when people have been honest about their claims.

I went through a similar audit about 6 months ago. In my case, it was triggered because I had briefly returned to work for a few weeks during my claim period and then was laid off again. Even though I reported everything correctly on my weekly certifications, the multiple job separations with the same employer flagged their system for review. The audit team was actually pretty reasonable to work with - they just wanted to verify that my job separations were legitimate and that I had reported all income accurately. Make sure you have copies of your separation notices, any correspondence with employers about your layoffs, and documentation of all the income you reported. The whole process took about 2 months for me, but I didn't owe anything back since I had been truthful throughout. Try not to stress too much - if you followed the rules and reported everything honestly, you should be fine.

I'm currently going through an audit myself and wanted to share what I've learned so far. My audit was triggered because I had some 1099 income during my claim period that apparently didn't match exactly with what the IRS reported to the state. Even though I reported all my earnings on my weekly certifications, there was some discrepancy in the timing or amounts. The auditor explained that they cross-reference unemployment claims with tax records and employer wage reports, so any inconsistencies can flag an account for review. I'm still in the middle of the process, but they've been pretty clear about what they need - basically every piece of financial documentation from the time I was claiming benefits. Bank statements, all tax forms, pay stubs, even records of any cash payments I might have received. The waiting is nerve-wracking, but from what everyone here is saying, it sounds like as long as you were honest and can document everything, it should work out okay.

I just received my audit letter yesterday and I'm trying to understand what could have triggered it. Reading through everyone's experiences here, it sounds like there are so many potential triggers - from random selection to income discrepancies to employer disputes. In my case, I did have a brief period where I worked part-time while collecting partial benefits, and I also did some freelance graphic design work that I reported as 1099 income. I'm wondering if the combination of W-2 wages AND 1099 income during the same claim period might have flagged my account for review? I kept detailed records of everything I earned and reported it all on my weekly certifications, but now I'm second-guessing whether I calculated the deductions correctly or if there were any timing issues with when I reported versus when I actually got paid. Has anyone else dealt with an audit involving both W-2 and 1099 income during their claim period?

I've been through this process twice - once in 2019 and again in 2022. From my experience, audits can be triggered by various factors: random selection (they audit a certain percentage of claims for quality control), wage discrepancies between what you reported and what employers/IRS reported, having income from multiple sources during your claim period, or even something as simple as a data entry error somewhere in the system. The good news is that if you were honest and kept good records, you'll be fine. Start gathering everything now: bank statements for the entire claim period, all pay stubs and tax documents, your job search log with dates and company contacts, any correspondence with DOL, and documentation of any work separations. Make copies of everything before you submit. Most importantly, respond to all their requests promptly and completely. In both of my audits, I didn't owe anything back because I had been truthful throughout the process. The waiting is the worst part, but try to stay calm and organized.

I'm going through an audit right now too and wanted to share what I've learned from the process so far. Mine was triggered because I had reported some seasonal work income that apparently didn't align perfectly with the employer's quarterly wage reports to the state. The auditor explained that they use automated systems to cross-check claims data with multiple sources - employer reports, IRS records, and even other state databases if you moved or worked across state lines. What's been helpful for me is creating a timeline document that shows exactly when I worked, when I got paid, and which weekly certification I reported each payment on. The DOL auditor actually appreciated this level of organization when I submitted it. One thing I didn't expect was that they also wanted documentation of any benefits or assistance I received during the claim period - things like SNAP, utility assistance, or even help from family members. Apparently they want to make sure you weren't receiving unreported support that might have affected your eligibility. It's definitely stressful, but staying organized and being completely transparent seems to be the best approach. The process is taking about 8-10 weeks in my case, but they've been communicating regularly about what they need and when.