What is my 8 digit personal identification number for NYS Department of Labor unemployment claim?
I'm trying to access my unemployment account but it's asking for an 8 digit personal identification number and I have no idea what this is supposed to be. I filed my initial claim about 2 weeks ago and got some paperwork in the mail but I can't find anything that shows an 8 digit PIN. Is this different from my SSN? I've been trying to log into my.ny.gov to file my weekly claim but keep getting stuck at this screen. Has anyone else run into this issue with the NYS Department of Labor system?
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CaptainAwesome
The 8-digit PIN is created when you first file your claim over the phone or online. It should have been in your determination letter or monetary determination that NYS Department of Labor mailed you. Check all the paperwork you received - it's usually labeled as your 'Personal Identification Number' or 'PIN' and is different from your SSN.
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Amara Okafor
•I found the monetary determination letter but I only see my claim number and benefit amount. Where exactly on the letter should the PIN be?
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Yuki Tanaka
mine was on a separate paper that came with the determination stuff, not on the main letter itself. it was like a small slip that said something about keeping it secure for weekly claims
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Esmeralda Gómez
If you can't find your PIN anywhere in the paperwork, you'll need to call NYS Department of Labor to get it reset. The issue is getting through to someone - the phone lines are always jammed. I had this same problem last month and it took me 3 days of calling to reach an agent. You could try using Claimyr (claimyr.com) to help you get through faster. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. I used them when I couldn't get my adjudication issue resolved and they got me connected within an hour.
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Klaus Schmidt
•How much does that service cost? I'm already struggling financially and can't afford to pay extra fees just to access my own benefits.
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Esmeralda Gómez
•It's worth checking out their site for pricing details, but honestly when you're stuck without access to file weekly claims the cost becomes less important than getting your benefits flowing again.
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Aisha Patel
The NYS Department of Labor system is ridiculous! Why do they need so many different numbers and passwords? I've got my claim number, my customer ID, my SSN, and now this mystery 8-digit PIN. It's like they don't want people to actually get their benefits!
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LilMama23
•totally agree, the whole system is set up to confuse people on purpose
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CaptainAwesome
Just to clarify for everyone - the PIN is specifically for phone access to the NYS Department of Labor Tele-Serv system and some online functions. If you're only using my.ny.gov, you might not need it depending on what you're trying to access. But for weekly claim certification by phone, you definitely need that 8-digit PIN.
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Amara Okafor
•That makes sense! I was trying to check my payment history online and that's where it asked for the PIN. I'll look through all my mail again more carefully.
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Evelyn Martinez
I had the exact same issue when I first filed! The 8-digit PIN isn't always obvious in the paperwork. Mine was actually printed on the back of one of the forms they sent - check behind all the pages. Also, if you filed online initially, they might have displayed it on the confirmation screen after you submitted your application. Some people screenshot that page but if you didn't, you're not alone in missing it. The PIN is definitely different from your SSN and claim number. If you still can't locate it anywhere, calling early morning (like 8:00-8:30 AM) tends to have shorter wait times than later in the day.
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Ravi Choudhury
•Thanks for the tip about checking the back of forms! I just went through all my paperwork again and found it on the back of the "Notice of Determination" - it was in tiny print at the bottom. I can't believe I missed it before. Your advice about calling early morning is really helpful too, I'll keep that in mind if I run into other issues. Really appreciate you taking the time to share your experience!
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Luca Ricci
I'm dealing with this exact same problem right now! Been searching through all my paperwork for days and I'm starting to think they never sent me the PIN at all. When I filed my initial claim online, I don't remember seeing any 8-digit number displayed on the final confirmation page - just my claim number. Has anyone successfully gotten through to NYS DOL recently to request a PIN reset? I'm worried about missing my weekly certification deadline while trying to figure this out. The whole system seems designed to make it as difficult as possible to actually access your benefits.
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NebulaNomad
•I feel your frustration! I went through the same thing last month. If you filed online and didn't get the PIN on the confirmation screen, it's likely in the mail somewhere but might be on a separate small paper or on the back of forms like others mentioned. For the weekly certification deadline, you can usually certify by phone using the Tele-Serv system once you get your PIN, but you're right that the timing is stressful. I'd suggest calling first thing Monday morning around 8 AM - that's when I had the most luck getting through. Also keep checking your mail daily since sometimes there are delays in their mailings. Don't give up, you'll get this sorted out!
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Yara Abboud
I went through this exact same frustration a few months ago! The 8-digit PIN is definitely one of the most confusing parts of the NYS DOL system. In my case, it turned out the PIN was printed on a tiny perforated stub attached to one of the forms - almost like a tear-off receipt. I had actually thrown it away thinking it was just extra packaging! If you've thoroughly checked all your paperwork and still can't find it, don't panic about the weekly certification deadline. You can file for an extension if you miss it due to system access issues, but you'll need to call and explain the situation. One thing that helped me was organizing all the DOL paperwork by date received and going through each piece systematically. Sometimes they send the PIN information separately from the main determination letter, so it might arrive a few days later. The key is to keep calling early in the morning until you get through - persistence really does pay off with their phone system.
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