The state Department of Labor is informing New Yorkers who have applied for unemployment that federal law requires them to submit a certification every week to receive their benefits and educate New Yorkers about how to complete that certification.

Roughly 90,000 New York residents received an email over the weekend if they have unemployment benefit claims that are completed, processed, and payable but who had not submitted a weekly certification, preventing them from being paid. Going forward, the Labor Department will regularly send emails informing New Yorkers when they are able to begin certifying and receiving their benefits.

“Losing your job can be a disorienting experience — especially when it happens during a global pandemic — so we want to make it as simple as possible for New Yorkers to receive the money they are due,” said Roberta Reardon, state labor commissioner. “That’s why we’re launching this campaign to make sure everyone who is applying for unemployment benefits knows how and when to submit their certification and claim the benefits they deserve. This is just another example of how we are using every resource available to connect New Yorkers with their money as quickly as possible, and we will not rest until everyone is receiving the benefits they deserve.”

Under, federal law, every American receiving unemployment insurance benefits, including traditional unemployment insurance and the new COVID-19 Pandemic Unemployment Assistance, is required to submit a weekly certification to claim their benefits. This certification confirms that the individual meets all of the conditions for receiving benefits, including that they were unemployed for all or part of the past week and were ready, willing and able to work. During this public health crisis, New Yorkers who cannot work because of the COVID-19 pandemic and New York State on PAUSE orders should answer they were ready, willing and able to work during a week if they otherwise could have worked.

According to Department of Labor records, however, tens of thousands of New Yorkers who are eligible for unemployment benefits — and who could be receiving their funds — have not submitted weekly certifications and claimed their benefits. This could be due to a lag between when New Yorkers’ claims are processed, allowing them to begin certifying, and when they receive a “Monetary Determination Letter” in the mail, which tells them to begin certifying.

In response, the Department of Labor is launching a communications campaign to ensure every New Yorker who is unemployed understands how and when to certify.

As part of this effort, the Department of Labor will begin emailing New Yorkers who provided email addresses on their application when their claims are processed and become payable, providing them the information they need on certifications quicker and allowing them to access their benefits faster. Over the weekend the first of these emails was sent to approximately 90,000 New Yorkers who have fully completed and processed unemployment benefit applications, but who have not yet certified.

Over the coming weeks, the Department of Labor will highlight information including:

WHEN TO CERTIFY

¯ Begin certifying when an application switches from “pending” to “payable” after receiving an email from the Department of Labor, as long as an email address was provided in the unemployment application, and a letter.

¯ For the purposes of Unemployment Insurance, a week runs from Monday to Sunday.

¯ New Yorkers must submit their certification for a given week on the last day of that week (Sunday) through the following Saturday. This is called your “claim window.”

¯ Any certification made on a Sunday is for the week ending that day.

HOW TO CERTIFY

¯ New Yorkers are encouraged to certify online, which is the easiest and fastest way to certify, at www.labor.ny.gov/signin

¯ Enter your NY.gov username and password.

¯ Click the “Unemployment Services” button on the My Online Services page.

¯ Then click “Claim Weekly Benefits” and follow the instructions.

Those who cannot certify online can certify via an automated phone system by calling 1-888-581-5812 for traditional unemployment insurance or 1-833-324-0366 for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance.