What is an unemployment insurance number for NYS Department of Labor claims?
I'm filling out my initial unemployment application and I keep seeing references to an 'unemployment insurance number' but I have no idea what this means. Is this something I should already have? I've never filed for unemployment before and I'm worried I'm missing something important. The NYS Department of Labor website mentions it but doesn't really explain where I get one or if it's assigned automatically. Can someone help me understand what this number is and whether I need to do something specific to get it?
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Evelyn Kim
The unemployment insurance number is automatically assigned to you by NYS Department of Labor when you file your initial claim. You don't need to have one beforehand - it's basically your claim identification number that gets generated once your application is processed. Think of it like a case number for your unemployment claim.
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Margot Quinn
•Oh thank goodness! I was panicking thinking I was supposed to already have this number somehow. So I'll get it after I submit my application?
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Diego Fisher
Yeah it's just your UI claim number that shows up in your my.ny.gov account once everything gets processed. You'll see it on all your correspondence from NYS Department of Labor too. It's usually formatted like a series of numbers and letters.
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Henrietta Beasley
•Mine took about 3 days to show up in my account after I filed. Don't worry if you don't see it immediately.
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Lincoln Ramiro
I remember being confused about this too when I first filed! The unemployment insurance number is different from your Social Security number - it's specific to your unemployment claim. You'll need this number for filing your weekly claims and any time you contact NYS Department of Labor about your case.
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Margot Quinn
•That makes so much sense now. I was wondering why they needed another number when they already have my SSN.
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Faith Kingston
Just went through this whole process myself and had the same confusion! If you're having trouble reaching NYS Department of Labor to ask questions like this, I found claimyr.com really helpful - they can get you through to an actual agent quickly. There's a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Way better than spending hours on hold.
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Emma Johnson
•Interesting, never heard of that service before. Did it actually work for getting through?
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Faith Kingston
•Yeah it did! I was able to talk to someone about my claim status within like 20 minutes instead of the usual nightmare of calling.
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Liam Brown
Don't stress about it too much. The whole NYS Department of Labor system is confusing at first but once you get your unemployment insurance number assigned, everything becomes clearer. Just make sure to save that number somewhere safe because you'll be using it constantly.
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Jade Lopez
I had the exact same confusion when I first applied! Just to add to what everyone else has said - once you get your unemployment insurance number, write it down and keep it handy. You'll need it every single week when you certify for benefits, and if you ever have to call NYS Department of Labor about anything related to your claim. It's basically your ticket to accessing all your unemployment services. The good news is that once you have it, the weekly certification process becomes pretty straightforward.
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