What is FEIN number for NYS Department of Labor unemployment claim filing?
I'm trying to file my unemployment claim and the NYS Department of Labor form is asking for my employer's FEIN number. I have no idea what this is or where to find it. My last job was at a small restaurant and I don't think they ever gave me any paperwork with this number on it. Is this required to complete my claim? Where am I supposed to get this information from?
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Dylan Cooper
FEIN stands for Federal Employer Identification Number - it's basically your employer's tax ID number. You can usually find it on your W-2 form from last year, or sometimes on your paystubs. If you don't have either of those, you can try calling your former employer's HR department or payroll office to get it.
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Fatima Al-Farsi
•Thanks! I found my W-2 and there's a number in box b that looks like it could be it. It's 9 digits with a dash in the middle - is that the FEIN?
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Sofia Perez
Yes that's exactly right - the FEIN is in box b on your W-2 and it's formatted like XX-XXXXXXX. If you worked for multiple employers in the past 18 months, you'll need the FEIN for each employer when filing your NYS Department of Labor claim. The system uses this to verify your work history and wages.
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Dmitry Smirnov
•What if you worked under the table and don't have a W-2? My friend is in this situation and can't find any FEIN numbers.
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Sofia Perez
•If there's no W-2, then wages weren't reported to NYS Department of Labor and unfortunately those earnings won't count toward unemployment eligibility. You need documented wages that had unemployment taxes taken out.
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ElectricDreamer
I had the same problem when I filed last month! Couldn't find my W-2 anywhere and my old job wouldn't return my calls. I ended up using claimyr.com to get through to an actual NYS Department of Labor agent who helped me figure out how to complete my application without having all the FEIN numbers upfront. There's a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Saved me so much frustration trying to get through on the phone myself.
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Ava Johnson
•Did they let you file without the FEIN numbers? I thought that was a required field.
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ElectricDreamer
•The agent told me I could put 'unknown' in some cases and they would try to match my work history using other information like employer name and address. But having the FEIN definitely makes the process faster.
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Miguel Diaz
just put 00-0000000 if you dont know it, they'll figure it out later
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Dylan Cooper
•I wouldn't recommend that - putting false information on your unemployment application can cause serious problems. It's better to contact NYS Department of Labor directly or try to get the real FEIN from your employer.
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Dmitry Volkov
If your small restaurant employer isn't responding to calls, you might also try checking if they have a business license posted somewhere visible - sometimes the FEIN is listed there. Another option is to look at any old paystubs you might have saved, as some employers include it. If all else fails, you can also try searching for the business on the IRS's online EIN database or contact the NYS Department of Labor's employer services division - they might be able to help you locate the FEIN using the business name and address.
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Giovanni Greco
•That's really helpful advice! I didn't know about the IRS EIN database - is that something anyone can search online? And do you know if there's a specific number to call for the NYS Department of Labor employer services division? I'm dealing with a similar situation where my former employer just isn't getting back to me.
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