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How to contact the unemployment office in New York: Phone, Email, and Postal Address
Have questions about your unemployment benefits and in need of support from the NY Department of Labor, here is how to get in touch with them.
As of April 2020, more than 778,000 New Yorkers are unemployed. While the numbers are still high relative to pre-pandemic levels (3.8% in January 2020), they are down significantly from last April when they reach 1.4 million. The unemployment rate has been cut in half since its high of 16.2% recorded a year ago.
In March 2020, the unemployment rate in New York City, reached eleven percent, meaning that one in ten workers found themselves out of a job. A year later, the unemployment rate has fallen to 4.2%, highlighting the strong job gains made in spite of the heavy toll the virus took on the US’ most populous city. The Ithaca area, home to Cornell University saw the lowest unemployment rate at the height of the pandemic at 4.7%. Since last Spring, it has followed the trend of the state and fallen to 3.6%.
Those looking to get in touch with the New York Department of Labor, related to questions on their unemployment benefits, there are various ways to connect.
Phone Number
The “Telephone Claims Center”(TCC) is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM until 7:30 PM. Those with questions can call toll-free at (888) 209-8124. The department has warned possible callers that call volumes have been high and wait times are to be expected.
The hearing impaired can find more information options available on the NY Department of Labor website.
Those calling should be aware that “TCC staff cannot help you with issues related to your NY.gov account, such as difficulty logging in, changing your personal information or resetting your password.” For those struggling with those issues, the correct number to call is 800-833-3000.
For those who find that their specific question is not addressed in the Q&A section, a direct message can be sent through your NY.gov account. More information on how to send a message has been released by the department.
Physical Address
Those who would like to send paperwork or other materials to the Department of Labor can address their mail to:
New York State Department of Labor
P.O. Box 15130
Albany, NY 12212-5130
In order to ensure that your request can be processed in a timely manner, it is vital that your Social Security number appear on the top right-hand corner of all pages.