New Yorkers who are enrolled in weekly unemployment insurance benefits will experience a temporary delay in their unemployment payments this fall as the state Department of Labor conducts a major overhaul of its online application system.
The agency’s online unemployment portal will go offline for nine to 12 days beginning at 5 p.m. on Nov. 2, and no one will be able to apply for or renew their weekly benefits online or over the phone during that time; the unemployment hotline will also be unavailable.
Still, that means the more than 100,000 New Yorkers enrolled in unemployment statewide will miss at least one of their payments until the new system is online in mid-November, and as many as two if they miss a key deadline. Once the transition is over, state Labor Commissioner Roberta Reardon said, customers will receive their retroactive checks in one payment.
Reardon says the update will replace the state’s current 50-year-old intake process. The new system will streamline applications for both businesses and customers and will help strengthen fraud protection, she said.
The new system will be “more efficient, it will be available on mobile devices, we will have real-time claim status and, I think, a happier customer base,” Reardon told The City Reporter.
Here is what New Yorkers need to know about the change and delays:
Jump to…
- Why is this happening?
- How will the new system be different?
- Can I renew my benefits while the system is offline?
- Do I still need to keep up with my job search in order to keep my benefits?
- What if I lose my job? Can I apply for the benefit while the system is offline?
- Who can I reach at the Labor Department while the system is offline?
- When will I get my money back?
Why is this happening?
New York has been upgrading its unemployment services system for years. The agency began shopping around proposals for a “system solution” in 2017, and awarded a contract to Tata Consultancy Services in 2019. Then, the pandemic put a wrench in those plans just as the agency scrambled to process a record amount of claims. Calls to the hotline increased by 2,700% in the first weeks of the pandemic and jobless New Yorkers waited sometimes for months for their first checks.
By 2022, the agency implemented some upgrades: it reorganized its website, implemented DocuSign for submitting weekly certifications, and rolled out the Perkins online chatbot to tackle frequently asked questions.
Despite this progress, advocates and customers still report massive delays and wait times on the agency’s unemployment hotline — if they receive a response at all.
How will the new system be different?
The new online portal will be smartphone-friendly — a first for the unemployment process — and uploading job search and other required documents should be much smoother. Currently, the online portal allows you to go forward with your application even when you’re missing documents — only to kick you out at the end. The new portal will flag what’s missing up front so you can fix those gaps before you continue .
That change alone will eliminate the top driver of traffic to the DOL’s unemployment hotline, according to the agency.
With the upgrade, customers will also be able to track the status of their applications and unemployment checks live. “Kind of like the Domino’s pizza tracker,” said Reardon.
Can I renew my benefits while the system is offline?
No one will be able to renew their benefits, either over the phone or on the web, while the system is offline.
You should certify for your weekly claim no later than 5 p.m. on Nov. 2 in order to receive your regular check for that week. No one will receive a check the following week while the transition is underway, but you should receive that payment retroactively when the system is back online in mid-November.
If you miss the 5 p.m. deadline on Nov. 2, you could miss two checks instead of one. “We really want people to be vigilant,” Reardon said.
Do I still need to keep up with my job search in order to keep my benefits?
Yes, you still need to continue to complete your required job search activities while the system is offline.
To stay eligible for unemployment insurance benefits, you need to apply for at least three jobs each week. Keep doing that, and keep records of all your activities, and submit all that paperwork once the system is back online.
What if I lose my job? Can I apply for the benefit while the system is offline?
No, you cannot apply while the transition is underway. But you can still make an appointment with the agency’s job search assistants to help get your paperwork in order so you’re ready to go when the system is back.
Who can I reach at the Labor Department while the system is offline?
The unemployment hotline will be offline and the call centers will not take walk-ins.
However, the agency’s career center will be available as usual for virtual appointments, resume prep and more.
When will I get my money back?
The Labor Department will notify every customer when the system is back online, and your checks should resume on their regular schedule in mid-November.
Have you had any issues with New York’s unemployment insurance system? We want to hear from you: Contact The City Reporter’s Claudia Irizarry Aponte at claudia@thecityreporter.nyc.
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The post New York Is Overhauling Its Unemployment Benefits Portal: What You Need to Know appeared first on The City Reporter.
