What is an unemployment number for NYS Department of Labor claims?
I'm really confused about all these different numbers they keep asking for when I try to file my unemployment claim. I see references to 'unemployment number' in various places but I'm not sure what exactly that means. Is this the same as my Social Security number? Or is there a separate number that NYS Department of Labor assigns to my claim? I've been trying to figure this out for days and the website isn't very clear about it.
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Christopher Morgan
The 'unemployment number' usually refers to your claim confirmation number that NYS Department of Labor assigns when you first file your initial claim. This is different from your SSN. You should have received this number after completing your initial application - it's typically 8-10 digits long and starts with letters followed by numbers. You'll need this number for filing your weekly claims and checking your claim status.
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Zoey Bianchi
•Oh that makes sense! I think I have that number in my email confirmation. So I use that instead of my SSN when logging into the weekly claim system?
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Aurora St.Pierre
yeah i was confused about this too when i first filed. they give you like 3 different numbers and its hard to keep track of which one is which
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Grace Johnson
To be specific, NYS Department of Labor assigns several numbers: your initial claim confirmation number (for the first application), weekly claim confirmation numbers (different each week), and sometimes an adjudication case number if there are issues with your claim. The main 'unemployment number' people refer to is usually that first claim confirmation number. Keep all of these saved in a document because you'll reference them when calling or checking status online.
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Jayden Reed
•This is so helpful! I've been writing everything down but didn't realize there were different types of numbers. Should I be writing down the weekly confirmation numbers too?
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Grace Johnson
•Yes, definitely keep track of your weekly confirmation numbers. If there's ever a dispute about whether you filed a particular week, having those numbers is your proof of filing.
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Nora Brooks
If you're having trouble reaching NYS Department of Labor to clarify what number they need, I had success using Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through to an actual agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. I was stuck in phone tree hell for weeks before finding this and it connected me within like 20 minutes. The agent was able to explain exactly which numbers I needed for my specific situation.
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Zoey Bianchi
•That sounds really useful! The phone lines are always busy when I try to call.
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Eli Wang
Just want to add that sometimes they'll ask for your 'UI number' which is the same thing as your unemployment claim number. Don't let the different terminology confuse you - UI just stands for Unemployment Insurance.
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