What is unemployment number - can't find it anywhere on my NYS Department of Labor claim

Your unemployment number is usually the same as your claim number. You can find it in your my.ny.gov account under the 'Claim Summary' section. It's typically a series of numbers and letters that starts with your social security number digits. If you received any determination letters from NYS Department of Labor, it should be printed at the top of those documents too.

yeah its on all the paperwork they mail you, should be right at the top of any letters from the unemployment office

If you're having trouble reaching someone at NYS Department of Labor by phone, I had success using a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get through to an actual agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Really helpful when you need to talk to someone about your claim status but can't get through the busy phone lines.

Don't feel bad about being confused - the NYS Department of Labor system is not user friendly at all! They use different terminology for the same things and never explain where to find important information. Your unemployment number should also be on your weekly claim certification emails if you've been filing those.

I had the same issue when I first started my claim! Another place to check is if you log into your my.ny.gov account and go to the "Messages" section - sometimes they send you a welcome message or confirmation that includes your unemployment number. Also, if you've received any direct deposit notifications or payment history documents, the number is usually listed there too. The system really could be more clear about where this information is located!

If you're still having trouble locating your unemployment number after checking all these places, you can also try calling the automated phone system at 1-888-209-8124. Even if you can't get through to speak with someone, the automated system will sometimes recognize your SSN and tell you your claim number over the phone. Just have your social security number and date of birth ready. I've used this method when I couldn't access my online account due to technical issues.

I went through this exact same frustration last month! One thing that helped me was checking my email inbox for any confirmation emails from when I first filed my claim. NYS DOL usually sends an initial confirmation email that contains your unemployment/claim number. Also, if you've been certifying weekly, check those certification confirmation emails - the number is typically included there too. Another spot to look is in your browser's download folder if you've ever downloaded any forms or documents from your ny.gov account - they often have the number in the filename or header. Hope this helps and don't give up - the number is definitely somewhere in your records!

I totally understand your frustration! When I first applied, I spent hours looking for this number too. One thing that hasn't been mentioned yet is to check if you have the NY DOL mobile app installed - sometimes the unemployment number shows up more clearly in the app interface than on the desktop website. Also, if you've ever printed out any pages from your my.ny.gov account (like your claim status or payment history), the number is usually in small print at the bottom or top of those pages. The whole system definitely needs to be more user-friendly - you shouldn't have to hunt through multiple places just to find such basic information about your own claim!

I had this exact same problem when I first filed! What really helped me was logging into my ny.gov account and looking under the "Unemployment Services" section - there's usually a "View Claim Details" or "Claim Information" link that shows your unemployment number right at the top. It might be labeled as "Claim Number" or "UI Number" but they're the same thing. Also, if you've received any text message notifications from NYS DOL about your claim, they sometimes include the number in those messages too. The whole system is definitely not intuitive - I probably spent 2 hours looking for mine the first time! Don't get discouraged, once you find it you'll know exactly where to look next time.

I went through this same headache a few months ago! One place that hasn't been mentioned yet is to check your bank statements or direct deposit records if you've received any unemployment payments. The unemployment number is often included in the deposit description or reference number. Also, if you've ever called the unemployment office before (even if you didn't get through), check your phone's call history - sometimes they send follow-up text messages with your claim number after missed calls. Another trick is to search your email for "NYS" or "unemployment" - I found mine in an automated email I had completely forgotten about. The system really is a mess for new claimants, but hang in there - once you locate that number everything else becomes much easier to navigate!

I just wanted to add another potential location to check - if you've ever used the "Print Friendly" option on any of the pages in your ny.gov account, those PDF files usually have your unemployment number in the header or footer. I discovered mine this way completely by accident when I was trying to save a copy of my payment history for my records. Also, if you've received any IRS forms related to your unemployment benefits (like a 1099-G), your unemployment number should be listed on those tax documents too. The NYS DOL system really needs a complete overhaul to make this basic information easier to find - it shouldn't require a treasure hunt just to locate your own claim number!

I just went through this same struggle a couple weeks ago! One more place to check that I haven't seen mentioned - if you've ever downloaded the NYS DOL mobile app and logged in, sometimes your unemployment number appears right on the home screen of the app even when it's hard to find on the website. Also, if you have any voicemails from the unemployment office (even automated ones), they often state your claim number at the beginning of the message. I ended up finding mine in an old voicemail I almost deleted! The whole experience really highlighted how poorly designed their information system is - such basic details about your own claim shouldn't be this hard to locate. But don't give up, it's definitely somewhere in your records!