What is a unemployment number - NYS Department of Labor claim ID confusion
I'm really confused about all these different numbers NYS Department of Labor keeps mentioning. I filed my unemployment claim last week and got some confirmation emails with different ID numbers. There's something called a claimant ID, a claim number, and they mentioned an unemployment number during the phone interview. Are these all the same thing? Which one do I use when I file my weekly claims? I'm scared I'm going to mess something up because I can't figure out what number they want when I log into my.ny.gov.
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Ravi Choudhury
The unemployment number usually refers to your claim number, which is different from your claimant ID. Your claim number is what identifies your specific unemployment claim and starts with letters followed by numbers. You'll use this when filing weekly claims and when calling NYS Department of Labor. Your claimant ID is your personal identifier in their system that stays the same even if you file multiple claims over time.
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Isabella Silva
•Thank you! So when I log in to file my weekly claim, I should use the claim number, not the claimant ID?
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Freya Andersen
yeah i had the same confusion when i started filing. theyre all different numbers for different things its annoying
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Omar Farouk
Actually, when you log into my.ny.gov, you just use your login credentials. The system automatically knows which claim is yours. You don't manually enter the claim number unless you're calling or need to reference it in correspondence. The unemployment number they mentioned in your phone interview was probably them confirming your claim number for their records.
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CosmicCadet
•This is so much more complicated than it needs to be! Why can't NYS Department of Labor just use one number for everything?
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Chloe Harris
I was having trouble reaching anyone at NYS Department of Labor to get clarification on my claim numbers and all the different IDs. Tried calling for days but kept getting busy signals. Someone recommended this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get through to an actual agent who explained everything. They have a demo video at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Finally got my questions answered about which numbers to use where.
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Isabella Silva
•Did it actually work? I've been trying to call for a week and can't get through to anyone.
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Amara Nwosu
•@Chloe Harris Yes, it actually worked for me! I was skeptical at first but after being on hold for literally hours with no luck, I figured it was worth trying. Claimyr got me connected to a real person within about 30 minutes and the agent was super helpful explaining all the different ID numbers. Worth checking out if you re'as frustrated as I was with the phone system.
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Diego Mendoza
Keep all the paperwork they send you because different forms reference different numbers. Your monetary determination will show your claim number prominently at the top. That's your main unemployment number for most purposes.
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Abigail Spencer
•@Diego Mendoza That s'really helpful advice! I just checked my paperwork and you re'right - the monetary determination has the claim number right at the top. I was looking at all these different documents and getting overwhelmed, but now I know which one is the main reference. Thanks for pointing that out!
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Fatima Al-Rashid
I went through this same confusion when I first filed! Here's what helped me keep it straight: Your claimant ID is like your permanent account number with NYS DOL - it stays the same even if you file multiple claims over the years. Your claim number is specific to this current unemployment claim and usually starts with letters like "NY" followed by numbers. When you log into my.ny.gov to file weekly claims, you don't need to enter either number - the system recognizes you from your login. But keep your claim number handy for phone calls or any correspondence. I printed out my monetary determination and highlighted the claim number at the top so I'd always know where to find it when needed.
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Oliver Alexander
•@Fatima Al-Rashid This breakdown is incredibly helpful! I ve'been stressing about this for days and your explanation makes it so clear. The part about highlighting the claim number on the monetary determination is brilliant - I m'going to do that right now. It s'reassuring to know that when filing weekly claims online, I don t'have to worry about entering the wrong number since the system handles it automatically. Thank you for taking the time to explain this so thoroughly!
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Khalil Urso
I had this exact same issue when I first filed! What really helped me was creating a simple cheat sheet with all my numbers. I wrote down: 1) My claimant ID (permanent account number), 2) My claim number (starts with letters like NY), and 3) My confirmation number from filing. I keep this taped to my computer so when I need to reference any of them during calls or paperwork, I'm not scrambling through emails. The claim number is definitely your main "unemployment number" that you'll reference most often. Don't worry - once you use the system a few times, it becomes second nature!
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Diego Flores
•@Khalil Urso That s'such a smart idea! I m'definitely going to make a cheat sheet like that. I ve'been frantically searching through my emails every time I need to find one of these numbers. Having them all written down in one place would save so much stress. I really appreciate everyone s'help in this thread - it s'amazing how something that seemed so confusing at first becomes manageable once you understand the system. Thank you for sharing your practical tip!
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