What documents to submit for NY unemployment income verification - W2 only or include paystubs?

Just your W2s should be sufficient in most cases. That's what the NYSDOL primarily looks for since it shows your annual income in an official format. I sent only my W2s last quarter and my verification was processed within 10 business days. The paystubs are usually only necessary if you don't have W2s or if there's some discrepancy they need to verify.

i just sent my w2s last month, nothing else. got approved no problems

I was in your EXACT situation back in February. I overthought it and ended up sending W2s, four months of paystubs, AND my 1040. Guess what? Total overkill! The determination letter specifically mentioned they only used my W2 information for the calculation. Save yourself the hassle and just send the W2s unless you had multiple employers or inconsistent income.

I uploaded mine through the online portal. Much faster than mail, and you get a confirmation number right away.

W2 only here and got approved. My brother sent paystubs too and they actually delayed his claim by 2 weeks because they said they had to "reconcile" the different documents. Less is more with NYSDOL lol

MAKE SURE you keep copies of EVERYTHING you send them!!!! I sent just my W2 last year and they claimed they never received it, even though I had a confirmation number. Then they wanted me to repay $4,200 because they said I "failed to provide documentation"!!! Took me THREE MONTHS to get it resolved and I had to keep calling every single day. The system is BROKEN!!!

Had to threaten to contact my state rep before they suddenly "found" my documents. The whole time they had them!! Just incompetence.

DOL claims representative here. For standard W-2 employees, just the W-2 is sufficient for income verification in most cases. We only need paystubs in specific circumstances: 1. If your W-2 doesn't match our wage records 2. If you worked for multiple employers 3. If you had variable income throughout the year 4. If you're claiming income that doesn't appear on a W-2 Sending extra documentation when not needed can actually slow down processing as it requires additional review. My recommendation: Start with just the W-2, and if we need additional documentation, we'll specifically request it. Also important: Make sure you're sending documents for the correct base period. For claims filed in May 2025, we're typically looking at your earnings from January-December 2024, not 2023.

Just want to add something important - make sure the copies you send are completely legible! My first submission was rejected because the scan was too faint. They're really strict about being able to read all the numbers clearly.

anyone else notice how the deadline dates keep changing from year to year? last year it was june 30, now may 15? so annoying they can't keep anything consistent

Just as a follow-up: I noticed in your original post you mentioned sending 2023 earnings for a 2025 claim. As the claims rep pointed out, you'll likely need 2024 earnings documentation instead. The base period for unemployment calculations is usually the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before you filed your claim. Double-check your notice to confirm exactly which year they're requesting.

Just went through this process last month! I was also super nervous about what to send, but ended up just submitting my 2024 W2 through the online portal. Got approved within a week with no issues. The key thing I learned from reading all the forums beforehand is that NYSDOL really does prefer simple, straightforward submissions. One tip that helped me: I took a photo of my W2 with my phone first to make sure all the text was clear and readable before uploading the official scan. Also saved a screenshot of the confirmation page right after submitting - learned that from horror stories like Jamal's above! You've got this - sounds like you're being appropriately careful about getting the right year's documents together. The 2024 W2 should be all you need!

This thread has been super helpful! I'm in a similar situation and was also overthinking what to send. Based on everyone's experiences here, it sounds like the 2024 W2 alone should be sufficient. I especially appreciate the DOL rep confirming that extra documents can actually slow things down - that's exactly what I needed to hear to stop second-guessing myself. Quick question for those who uploaded online: did you scan your W2 or just take a clear photo with your phone? My scanner is acting up and I want to make sure a phone photo would be acceptable quality-wise.

Just wanted to add my experience from last year - I was in the exact same boat as you, totally overthinking what to send! I ended up just submitting my W2 through the online portal and it was approved without any issues. The whole process took about 8 days from submission to approval. One thing that really helped ease my anxiety was calling the DOL helpline before submitting (though I know that can be hit or miss getting through). The rep I spoke with confirmed that for most people with standard employment, the W2 is all they need. She also mentioned that if they need anything additional, they'll send you a specific request rather than rejecting your claim outright. The online upload is definitely the way to go - you get that immediate confirmation number and can check the status. Just make sure your scan/photo is crystal clear. Good luck!