Why is NY unemployment making me do frequent job search interviews when I just started collecting?

yep same thing happened to me in January. had 3 interviews in 2 months!! super annoying when ur already stressed about finding work

They've changed their verification procedures in 2025. NYSDOL is now doing more frequent checks on new claims, especially during the first 8 weeks. It's part of their new fraud prevention initiative. The good news is if you pass these initial interviews, they usually back off and switch to random checks after that. Make sure you continue documenting all job search activities in detail. Record company names, positions, application dates, follow-ups, networking, and any interviews. This will make the next call go smoothly.

I think theyre actually picking random ppl to check now cuz my brother been on unemployment since november and hasnt had ANY interviews at all!! The whole system is random and stupid IMO

This is the new normal for 2025. After they got hit with that huge unemployment fraud scandal last year, they've completely overhauled their verification process. New claims especially get scrutinized heavily in the first few months. For your upcoming interview: 1. Have all your job search records organized and ready to discuss 2. Be prepared to explain any gaps in your search activities 3. If you've had any interviews, have those details ready 4. Make sure you're meeting the minimum weekly job search requirements (currently 5 activities per week) Don't stress too much though - if your first interview went well, this is likely just following their new standard procedure.

I WENT THROUGH EXACTLY THIS IN FEBRUARY!!! The NY unemployment system is COMPLETELY BROKEN now after their so-called "improvements." I ended up having THREE interviews within my first 8 weeks. Each one with a different rep who asked me all the same questions over again. Complete waste of everyone's time! And guess what happened during my third interview? They put me on hold for 45 MINUTES then disconnected the call. Then they had the nerve to send me a letter saying I missed my interview and might lose benefits!!! Had to spend DAYS trying to reach someone to fix it.

Based on my experience as a career counselor who works with many unemployment claimants, what you're experiencing is part of NYSDOL's updated 2025 multi-verification protocol. The department now frontloads verification for new claims, with more frequent checks in the first 8-10 weeks. This is actually good news for compliant claimants, as passing these early verifications usually means fewer random checks later. Some important context about the current system: - First-time claimants are automatically flagged for enhanced verification - January/February claims receive additional scrutiny (seasonal fraud prevention) - The new AI system flags certain industries and job types for extra verification - Claims from companies with recent mass layoffs sometimes get additional review I recommend preparing for each call as if it's your first. In my experience, after 2-3 successful verifications, the system usually shifts you to the standard quarterly review protocol.

btw if ur first interview was in Feb and next one is in March thats NOT 4 weeks, its more like 6 weeks... unless im missing something?

I think they're doing this to push people off unemployment faster. Make it such a hassle that people just give up. The whole system has gotten worse since 2024. My cousin had to answer stupid questions about why he applied to jobs that weren't exactly like his previous one. Like hello??? Because no identical jobs were available???

Quick update for anyone following this thread - I had my second interview today and it went fine. The rep explained that they're doing more frequent checks on new claims in 2025. She said I should expect one more check in about 6 weeks, and if everything continues to look good, they'll switch me to their quarterly verification schedule. She also gave me some helpful tips about using their new job match system that I didn't know about before. So while these calls are annoying, this one was actually somewhat useful. Thanks everyone for your input and advice!

As someone who just started collecting unemployment in NY this year, this thread has been incredibly helpful! I was getting worried about my upcoming second interview but now I understand it's just part of their new 2025 verification process. It's frustrating they don't explain this upfront when you first apply - would save a lot of anxiety if they just told new claimants "expect 2-3 verification calls in your first 8 weeks." Has anyone here tried appealing or asking to reduce the frequency of these calls? Or do we just have to deal with it as part of the new system?

I'm going through the exact same thing right now! Filed in early February after a layoff and already had one interview last week. Just got notice for my second one scheduled for next week. Reading through everyone's experiences here is such a relief - I was starting to think they were targeting me specifically or that I'd messed something up. The most frustrating part is like others mentioned, they don't tell you this is normal when you first apply. I spent days stressing and double-checking all my documentation thinking I was in trouble. Would be so much better if they just said upfront "hey, new claimants get extra verification calls for the first couple months." At least now I know what to expect and that it should taper off after a few more weeks. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences!

I'm in the exact same boat! Started collecting in late January after being laid off and I've already had two verification interviews - one in February and another just last week. Like you, I was totally caught off guard by how frequent these are compared to what friends experienced in previous years. What's really helped me is keeping a detailed spreadsheet of all my job search activities with dates, company names, position titles, and follow-up actions. During my second interview, the rep actually complimented how organized my records were and said it made the call go much smoother. The rep also mentioned that these frequent early checks are part of their fraud prevention updates for 2025, and that once you pass the initial verification period (usually 8-10 weeks), they switch you to much less frequent random checks. So hopefully we're both almost through the intensive phase! Hang in there - sounds like you're doing everything right and this should get easier soon.