Where and how to recertify weekly NY unemployment benefits online?
I'm so confused about recertifying for my weekly NY unemployment benefits. I got approved last month but now I can't figure out where to go to do my weekly certification. Is it through the same portal where I filed initially? Do I need to create a new account or something? My benefits will stop if I don't recertify this weekend and I really need this money for rent next month. Any help would be super appreciated!!
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Hunter Edmunds
You need to log into your NY.gov account at labor.ny.gov and click on "Unemployment Services" then "Claim Weekly Benefits." Make sure you're recertifying during your assigned claim window (Sunday-Saturday of the week following your benefit week). You'll need to answer questions about any work you did, job searches, etc. Set a calendar reminder to do this every week!
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Jade O'Malley
•THANK YOU! I was looking everywhere on the site and couldn't find it. I'll try right now. Do you know what happens if I miss a week? Will I lose all my benefits or just that week?
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Ella Lewis
happened to me too when i first started. the website is super confusing tbh. once you click claim weekly benefits it takes you to another page where you gotta input more info. dont forget u have to do 3 work searches each week or they can audit u later
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Jade O'Malley
•Thanks! Yeah the site is really not user friendly at all. I've been keeping track of my work searches in a notebook, is that enough or do I need to upload them somewhere?
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Andrew Pinnock
Labor.ny.gov > My Online Services > Unemployment Services > Claim Weekly Benefits. You can certify Sunday through Saturday, but I always do mine Sunday morning to avoid any system issues. If you miss a week, you'll need to request retroactive payment through the website or by phone. However, getting through to a representative by phone can be extremely difficult. I had to request retroactive payment after missing a week due to being in the hospital, and it took me 3 days of calling to reach someone. I finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) which got me through to an agent in about 30 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE. Definitely worth it when you're desperate to talk to someone.
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Brianna Schmidt
•Is that Claimyr thing legit? Seems sketchy to pay money just to talk to unemployment when it should be free. Has anyone else used it?
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Alexis Renard
•I can confirm it works. Had to use it last month when my claim was randomly put on hold and I couldn't get through on the regular line after DAYS of trying. Got connected to a real person who fixed my issue right away. Sometimes you just need to talk to an actual human to resolve these things.
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Camila Jordan
The NY unemployment system is DELIBERATELY CONFUSING!!! They make it hard to recertify hoping people will miss weeks and they can save money. I missed TWO WEEKS of benefits last year because their stupid website was "under maintenance" during my usual certification time and I couldn't get back in. When I finally called, they said I was "out of the claim window" and denied my backpay. TOTAL SCAM!!!
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Hunter Edmunds
•While the system can definitely be frustrating, there are valid reasons for the claim windows and certification requirements. They're designed to ensure regular job searching and prevent fraud. If the website was truly down for maintenance during your certification period, you could have appealed that decision with documentation of the system outage.
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Tyler Lefleur
when i was on unemployment last year i set a phone alarm for sunday mornings at 9am so i wouldnt forget to certify. also keep in mind u can certify over the phone too if the website isnt working, the number should be on your benefits paperwork
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Madeline Blaze
I'm also new to unemployment and found the whole process really overwhelming. One thing that helped me was creating a bookmark folder just for unemployment stuff with the weekly certification page saved. Also, does anyone know if there's a mobile app? I don't always have my laptop with me when Sunday comes around.
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Hunter Edmunds
•NY doesn't have an official unemployment mobile app yet, though it's been rumored to be in development. The website does work on mobile browsers, but it's not very well optimized. I'd recommend using desktop when possible for certification to avoid any submission errors. If you must use mobile, use Chrome or Safari in desktop mode.
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Ella Lewis
just remember that if you make any money during the week you gotta report it even if its just like a few bucks from a side gig. they dont mess around with that stuff and will make you pay it all back plus penalties if they catch u
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Mus Am
•@Ella Lewis but howbdo you report it they dont give any empty box to put the number it s'just yes or no questions
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Jade O'Malley
Just wanted to update that I found the right page and successfully recertified! Thanks everyone for the help. It's a huge relief. I set a recurring reminder on my phone for Sunday mornings too so I don't forget going forward.
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Alexis Renard
•Great to hear! One more tip: take screenshots of your confirmation numbers after each certification. I learned this the hard way when they once claimed I hadn't certified despite me doing it every week. Having those confirmation screens saved me a huge headache.
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Ethan Scott
As someone who went through this same confusion when I first started claiming benefits, I'd recommend also signing up for text alerts if NY offers them - some states do this to remind you about certification deadlines. Also, if you're ever traveling or won't have internet access during your certification window, you can usually call ahead to certify by phone. The automated phone system is actually pretty straightforward once you get used to it. Keep your Social Security number and PIN handy when you call. Good luck with your benefits!
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Theodore Nelson
•That's really helpful advice about calling ahead when traveling! I didn't know you could certify by phone in advance. Do you happen to know how far ahead you can call to certify? I have a work trip coming up next month that might conflict with my usual Sunday certification routine. Also, is the phone PIN the same as the one I use to log into the website, or is it something separate I need to set up?
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