Does NYS Department of Labor have the highest unemployment benefits in the country?
I've been comparing unemployment benefits across different states and I keep hearing that New York might have some of the highest unemployment benefits available. My cousin in another state only gets like $250 a week while I'm getting $504 weekly from NYS Department of Labor. Is this actually true that we have the highest unemployment benefits or are there other states that pay more? Also wondering if there are any other benefits I might be missing out on that could increase my total weekly amount.
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CosmicCadet
New York does have among the highest maximum weekly benefit amounts in the US. The current max is $504 per week, which puts NYS Department of Labor in the top tier nationally. However, states like Massachusetts and Washington also have comparable maximums. Your actual benefit amount depends on your base period wages, so not everyone gets the max.
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Omar Farouk
•That makes sense. I was making around $65k before I lost my job so I think that's why I'm getting close to the maximum amount.
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Chloe Harris
yeah ny benefits are pretty good compared to most states but the cost of living here is also way higher so it balances out somewhat
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Diego Mendoza
If you're having trouble getting through to NYS Department of Labor to ask about additional benefits or your exact calculation, I had success using Claimyr (claimyr.com) to connect with an actual agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Really helped me get clarification on my benefit amount when I couldn't get through the regular phone lines.
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Anastasia Popova
•Never heard of that service before. Is it legit? The NYS Department of Labor phone system is definitely frustrating to deal with.
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Diego Mendoza
•Yeah it's legitimate. Basically helps you get through the queue faster instead of waiting on hold for hours or getting disconnected.
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Sean Flanagan
The $504 maximum is based on having high quarterly wages in your base period. But remember you also need to meet the job search requirements to keep getting benefits. NYS Department of Labor requires 3 work search activities per week unless you're on standby status.
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Omar Farouk
•Good point about the job search requirements. I've been logging everything in the NYS Department of Labor system to make sure I stay compliant.
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Zara Shah
I think Hawaii might actually have higher benefits but don't quote me on that. The whole system varies so much state to state it's crazy
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CosmicCadet
Just to clarify - while NY has high maximum benefits, what you actually receive is calculated as a percentage of your average weekly wage during your base period. The $504 is only if you were earning around $1,300+ per week consistently. Most people get somewhere between $200-400 weekly.
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Omar Farouk
•That explains why my amount is what it is. Thanks for breaking down how the calculation actually works!
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