Does NYS Department of Labor unemployment match your salary - how much can I expect?
I'm about to file for unemployment and trying to figure out my budget. Does the NYS Department of Labor unemployment benefit match what I was making at my job? I was earning $52,000 annually at my marketing position before getting laid off last week. I've never filed for UI before so I have no idea what to expect for my weekly benefit amount. Can anyone explain how they calculate this?
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Beth Ford
No, unemployment doesn't match your full salary. NYS Department of Labor calculates your weekly benefit rate based on your highest quarter earnings in your base period. The maximum weekly benefit in 2025 is $504, and most people get around 50% of their average weekly wage up to that cap. With your salary of $52k, you'd probably get somewhere in the $400-500 range per week.
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Atticus Domingo
•That's actually better than I expected! So it's based on my highest earning quarter, not my most recent pay?
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Morita Montoya
yeah i got like 60% of what i was making when i filed last year but it definitely wasnt enough to cover all my bills
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Kingston Bellamy
The NYS Department of Labor uses a specific formula. They look at your base period (first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters) and take your highest quarter earnings, divide by 26, then calculate 50% of that amount. There's also a minimum of $104/week. You can estimate yours by looking at your pay stubs from your best quarter and doing the math.
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Atticus Domingo
•This is super helpful, thanks! I'll dig up my old pay stubs to figure out which quarter was my highest.
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Joy Olmedo
I've been trying to get through to NYS Department of Labor to ask about my benefit calculation for weeks but their phone lines are always busy. It's so frustrating when you need answers about something this important for your financial planning.
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Isaiah Cross
•I had the same problem until someone told me about Claimyr. They basically call the NYS Department of Labor for you and get you connected to an actual agent. I used it last month when I was stuck in adjudication and got through in like 20 minutes. Check out claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works.
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Kiara Greene
Just remember you still have to do your weekly claims and job search requirements even if the amount seems low. NYS Department of Labor requires 3 job contacts per week minimum and you have to log them all.
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Evelyn Kelly
The system is so confusing! I thought it would be way more straightforward but there's all these rules about base periods and quarters. Why can't they just give you a percentage of your last paycheck?
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Beth Ford
•It's designed to account for seasonal workers and people with fluctuating income. Using your highest quarter gives a more stable calculation than just your most recent pay.
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