Stuck with ID.me verification for NY unemployment - what now?

same exact thing happened to me. the system is completley broken. i had to wait 7 weeks to get a new video call appointment and when i finally did they asked for all these documents i wasnt prepared for. ended up having to do ANOTHER appointment 😭 they make it impossible on purpose i swear

I was in the same boat with the ID.me nightmare when I lost my teaching job. After days of frustration I found this service called Claimyr that helped me get through to an actual person at unemployment. They basically wait on hold for you then call your phone when a real agent picks up. Talking to an agent got my $ unlocked so fast I couldn't believe it. Here's a video about how it works: https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE

The whole ID.me thing is a total disaster. I've seen so many people posting about problems with it. Have you tried reaching out to them on Twitter? Sometimes their social media team is more responsive than their actual customer service.

Try using a different device for your video call. My laptop camera wasn't working right with their system, but when I switched to my iPad it finally worked. Also make sure you have really good lighting - that seems to matter with their facial recognition stuff.

Listen, I work in IT and deal with identity verification systems. ID.me is having MAJOR scaling issues right now. Here's what you should do: - First, clear ALL your browser cookies and cache completely - Try using Microsoft Edge browser specifically (their system seems to work better with it) - If possible, use a wired internet connection for the video call, not WiFi - Have multiple forms of ID ready (passport, birth certificate, etc) - If all else fails, you need to speak with an actual human at unemployment The fastest way to get someone on the phone is using claimyr.com - it's a service that waits on hold for you and calls when a real person picks up. Explaining your situation to a live agent can often bypass these technical issues with ID.me. I had a similar problem and spent 3 weeks trying to resolve it through ID.me's systems. Finally got through to unemployment directly and they were able to verify me another way. Don't give up!

My ID.me verification failed 4 TIMES before it finally worked. Each time was a different reason - first my license was "too blurry" (it wasnt), then my selfie had "poor lighting", then my internet connection was "unstable", and finally they couldn't "match my records". The whole system feels designed to make u give up. Keep trying tho, and call unemployment directly if possible.

this is why i always tell people to SAVE MONEY when they have a job. the system is designed to not help you when you need it the most

Not sure if this helps but my sister had a similar problem with ID.me and she ended up contacting her state representative's office. They have special channels to unemployment and can sometimes move things along. Worth a try while you're waiting for the other options.

Try going through the ID.me process at like 3am if you can. The system is way less crowded and video call wait times are shorter. I did mine at 3:45am and only waited like 30 mins for a trusted referee instead of the 5+ hours during daytime.

have u checked if ur on wifi or data when doing the video call? my connection kept dropping on wifi but worked fine when i switched to cell data. also make sure no other apps are using ur camera. NY unemployment system is a complete joke these days 😤

I think I figured out why so many of us are having these ID.me problems with NY unemployment. They're using facial recognition that fails for people with certain features, especially darker skin tones. There was an article about it in the Times a few months back. That's why the video referee option exists, but they're so backlogged it's ridiculous.

dude just call ur state senator. thats what I had to do. unemployment system in NY is totally busted but politicians can actually help cause they dont want bad press. my benefits were unlocked 3 days after i called my senators office

i got locked out of id.me completely after too many failed attempts! had to create a whole new account with a different email address and start the process over. make sure you dont get locked out!!

This is exactly why I'm running out of hair at 32 😂 The NY unemployment system and ID.me should just get married since they both love making our lives difficult. One thing that helped me was having a friend who's good with tech walk me through each step on a video call (not the ID.me one lol). Sometimes just having another set of eyes helps catch the little things.

I'm dealing with the exact same ID.me nightmare right now! Been stuck for 3 weeks after my video call got cut off. The most frustrating part is you can't even get back into the queue easily. I found that trying to access the ID.me portal through different entry points sometimes works - like going through the NY DOL site vs going directly to ID.me. Also, if you have any friends or family who work in government offices, they might know someone who can help escalate your case. This whole system is beyond broken and they know it. Hang in there! 💪