New York’s Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) system resumed operations after a 16-hour outage during a planned update on Sunday, May 19. The service disruption, intended to last from midnight to 11 a.m., extended longer than anticipated, according to the NYS Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance.
The outage was necessary for the state to switch to a new EBT vendor, making EBT cards unusable for food and cash transactions, cash withdrawals, and customer service during the upgrade.
The update included a transition to the new ebtEDGE app and client portal, replacing the ConnectEBT app and portal. EBT cardholders need to download or access the new systems to manage transactions, freeze or unfreeze cards, and change PINs after the update.
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