NYS Department of Labor identity verification for unemployment - what documents do they need?
I just got a notice from NYS Department of Labor saying I need to complete identity verification for my unemployment claim. The letter mentions uploading documents but doesn't specify exactly what they want. Has anyone been through this process recently? I'm worried about delays since my claim has been pending for two weeks already. What documents did you submit and how long did it take to get approved?
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Ravi Kapoor
You'll typically need to upload a government-issued photo ID (driver's license or passport) and a document showing your Social Security number. I had to do this last month and used my driver's license plus my Social Security card. The verification took about 5 business days once I submitted everything through the my.ny.gov portal.
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Isabella Oliveira
•Thanks! Do you remember if they accepted photos taken with your phone or did you need to scan the documents?
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Freya Larsen
same thing happened to me but took forever to get through!! the upload system kept rejecting my photos for being too blurry even though they looked fine to me
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GalacticGladiator
The identity verification is part of their fraud prevention system. Make sure your documents are clear and all four corners are visible in the photos. Birth certificate works too if you don't have your Social Security card handy. Once verified, your weekly claims should process normally.
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Omar Zaki
•This is so frustrating though - why do they wait weeks to ask for this stuff? I've been filing weekly claims this whole time and now suddenly they need verification?
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GalacticGladiator
•I think it's random selection or triggered by certain flags in your application. The important thing is responding quickly once you get the notice.
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Chloe Taylor
If you're having trouble reaching someone at NYS Department of Labor about this, I used a service called Claimyr that helped me get through to an actual agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Was way easier than sitting on hold for hours trying to call myself.
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Isabella Oliveira
•Never heard of that before - did they actually help you get answers about the verification process?
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Chloe Taylor
•Yeah, the agent was able to tell me exactly what was missing from my documents and I got it sorted out the same day. Check out claimyr.com if you need to talk to someone directly.
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Diego Flores
I went through this whole mess last year and it was a nightmare. Uploaded everything three times before it finally worked. The system is just broken honestly
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Alejandro Castro
I just went through this process two weeks ago! For the documents, I uploaded my driver's license and Social Security card - both as phone photos worked fine as long as they were clear and well-lit. The key is making sure all edges of the documents are visible in the frame. It took exactly 7 business days from when I submitted to when my claim status updated. Pro tip: take the photos in good lighting and double-check they're not blurry before uploading. The system is pretty picky about image quality but once you get it right, it processes smoothly.
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Honorah King
•That's really helpful to know the timing - 7 business days gives me a better expectation! Did you have any issues with the lighting? I'm worried about shadows on my documents when taking photos.
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Brooklyn Foley
•@Honorah King For lighting, I found that taking the photos near a window during the day worked best - natural light is more even than overhead lighting. Just avoid direct sunlight which can create harsh shadows or glare. I also placed the documents on a dark colored surface like (a navy blue folder which) helped with contrast. If you re'still getting shadows, try moving the document around until you find a spot with even lighting before snapping the photo.
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