What is a UI number for unemployment - NYS Department of Labor explanation needed
I keep seeing references to a 'UI number' on my NYS Department of Labor paperwork and online account but I'm not sure what this actually is. Is this the same as my Social Security number or is it something different? I just filed my initial claim last week and want to make sure I understand all the terminology. The my.ny.gov portal shows a bunch of different numbers and I don't want to use the wrong one when I call or fill out forms.
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Ayla Kumar
UI stands for Unemployment Insurance. Your UI number is a unique identifier assigned by NYS Department of Labor specifically for your unemployment claim. It's different from your SSN - think of it as your claim number. You'll need this UI number when calling NYS Department of Labor, filing weekly claims, or any correspondence about your benefits. It should be on your determination letter and visible in your my.ny.gov account under the unemployment section.
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Clay blendedgen
•Thank you! That makes so much sense. I was worried I was missing something important. Where exactly do I find this number in my online account?
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Lorenzo McCormick
Look for it on your benefit determination letter - it's usually a series of numbers and sometimes letters. Mine was like 12 digits long. You can also find it when you log into my.ny.gov and go to the unemployment insurance section. It's usually displayed at the top of your claim summary page.
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Carmella Popescu
•Mine is 10 digits, no letters. I think the format might have changed over the years or vary by when you first filed.
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Kai Santiago
I've been trying to reach NYS Department of Labor for weeks about my claim status and they always ask for this UI number first thing. If you're having trouble getting through to them by phone, I recently discovered this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helps you actually connect with agents. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. It was a lifesaver when I needed to resolve an adjudication issue and couldn't get through the regular phone lines.
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Lim Wong
•Interesting, never heard of that service before. Did it actually work for you? The hold times with NYS Department of Labor are absolutely insane.
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Kai Santiago
•Yeah it worked really well. I was able to speak with someone within about 15 minutes instead of waiting hours or getting disconnected. Worth checking out if you're stuck.
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Dananyl Lear
wait is the UI number the same thing as your claim number?? ive been so confused about this whole process
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Ayla Kumar
•Yes, they're essentially the same thing. Different people call it different names - UI number, claim number, unemployment insurance number - but they all refer to the unique identifier for your specific unemployment claim with NYS Department of Labor.
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Noah huntAce420
Just want to add that you should NEVER share your UI number with anyone except official NYS Department of Labor representatives. There are scammers out there who try to get this information. Always verify you're on the official my.ny.gov website or speaking with real NYS Department of Labor staff before giving out any claim details.
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Owen Jenkins
Great advice from everyone here! Just to add one more tip for finding your UI number - if you're having trouble locating it in your online account, it's also printed on any correspondence you receive from NYS Department of Labor, including your monetary determination letter and any notices about your claim. I always keep a screenshot of mine saved on my phone since you need it so frequently when dealing with unemployment stuff. Also seconding what Noah said about keeping it secure - treat it like you would any other important account number.
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NebulaKnight
•This is super helpful! I didn't think to screenshot it - that's a really smart idea since I'm always fumbling around looking for it when I need to call. Quick question though - does the UI number ever change or is it the same throughout your entire claim period? I'm worried about accidentally using an old number if I have to reopen my claim later.
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Gabriel Graham
•@NebulaKnight Your UI number stays the same throughout your entire benefit year, even if you have to reopen your claim or file additional claims within that year. However, if you file a completely new claim in a different benefit year (like if you become unemployed again after working for a while), you might get assigned a new UI number. But for your current claim period, that number won't change, so your screenshot should be good to keep using. Just make sure you're always using the most recent correspondence if you're ever unsure!
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Anthony Young
Another thing to keep in mind - if you ever need to reference your UI number over the phone with NYS Department of Labor, they might ask you to spell it out digit by digit for verification purposes. I learned this the hard way when the representative couldn't understand me clearly and I had to repeat it multiple times. Also, some automated phone systems will ask you to enter your UI number using your keypad, so it's helpful to have it written down rather than trying to read it off your phone screen while navigating the phone menu. The whole unemployment system can be overwhelming when you're new to it, but once you get familiar with these basic terms like UI number, weekly certification, and benefit year, it becomes much easier to navigate.
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Keisha Johnson
•This is really practical advice, thank you! I hadn't thought about the phone keypad issue - that would definitely be frustrating to deal with when you're already stressed about your claim. Speaking of the automated systems, does anyone know if there are specific times of day that are better for calling NYS Department of Labor? I've heard early morning is best but wanted to see if others have had success at different times. Also, @Anthony Young, when you mention weekly certification - is that the same thing as filing your weekly claim for benefits?
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