CERTIFYING BACKWEEKS
If you have unpaid weeks of Unemployment, see this guide to check and certify missing back weeks.
CALLING THE DOL
Call 888-209-8124.
When you call, just follow the instructions on the automated system until you get through to a person. If the lines are too busy – which it usually is – it will tell you “…due to high call volume…” and your call will simply be disconnected. If that happens, try again.
Here is how to call the DOL:
1) Call 888-209-8124
Lines are open 8:00am – 7:30pm. Based on reports, good times to try are 8:00am-8:30am and 1:00pm-2:00pm, but people have gotten through at all hours of the day.
2) Press “1” (or press “9”)
“For English Press 1”
(If you press 9 instead of 1 that skips the entire automated system and looks for an agent. The option also usually leads “All of our agents are currently busy with other customers, please call back”, but at least you don’t have to hear lots of recorded loops before finding out if someone will answer your call or not…)
3) Press 2
You first need to wait for recording about LWA before the system will accept your “2”.
4) Enter your social security number
5) Press “1”
To confirm that your social is correct
6) Enter your 4-digit personal identification number (PIN).
This is the number you chose when originally applying for Unemployment.
(Reports are that putting in the right social and wrong pin number three times gets you right to a representative. A great option for people who forgot their pin…)
7) Press “2”
“If you received a letter in the mail advising you to call this number to complete a Pandemic Unemployment Assistance application, press 1, all other callers please press, press “2”.
8) Two options:
- If you already started receiving any weekly Unemployment payments:
Press “1” and then “1” again – then wait for an agent. - If you did not yet receive any weekly Unemployment payments, then:
Press “2” and then “1” – then wait for an agent.
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<Last updated July 11, 2021>
8 thoughts on “Calling the Department of Labor – Certifying Missing Weeks”
I filed for a week of unemployment as per my employers request. The date filed was 04/04/21. I have not received my unemployment check yet. My social security number is [redacted]. Any response would be appreciated. Thanks.
The award letter I received says I am eligible to receive $476.00. The effective date is 4/12/21. Then I received the letter telling me to certify each week.When I go to certify each week the weekly benefit amount says 0.00. I have not received any payments. I have tried the message and calling and still no response. PLEASE ANY ASSISTANCE WILL BE MUCH APPRECIATED. I just want to getting payments.
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It’s likely because you don’t get paid the first week.
I haven’t received anything since April 26th cuz of the IDME
I’m in the same boat as you. That ID me is absolutely ridiculous. I’ve spoken to numerous people who said the same thing. Unemployment was working just fine then they had to go and screw it all up.
I just wanted to say thank you! This has been extremely helpful. I have been waiting and waiting for docusign to contact me about certifying my back-pay (they never did). I called ny dol and followed your instructions and was connected right away to a representative (zero hold time!) who took my information and certified my back-pay in 10 minutes. Thanks again.
I certified for the first time in June 2020 after being laid off because of the pandemic. I received only one payment because I was diagnosed with a cancer and therefore “I wasn’t ready to work” so I did not meet the requirements to certify every week.
I was treated and recovered and on December 28, 2020 I started to certify weekly again. The system did not let me start a new claim so I just continued certifying every week.
I have NOT receive ANY payments for the period December 28,2020 to June 2021 which is frustrating.
I really do not know what to do, any advice/suggestions please?
Once I got to the BYE date (June 2021), the system finally let me start a new claim and I have now received the first payment but I am missing 6 months of benefits and nobody in the DOL responds my messages/calls!
Thank you
I backdated 2 weeks ago, and was certified for missing weeks last Friday. I log into the ny.gov account and my effective days went from 100 to 0, all i see are my last payments released this week but not for prior weeks and no backdated payments in the account history either. What does this mean?