How do I know how much unemployment I will get from NYS Department of Labor?
I just lost my job last week and planning to file for unemployment benefits but I have no idea what to expect payment wise. Is there a way to figure out how much my weekly unemployment benefit will be before I actually file? I worked at a restaurant for the past 2 years making about $18/hour but my hours varied a lot from week to week. Some weeks I'd work 40 hours, other weeks only 25. Does NYS Department of Labor look at my highest earning quarters or do they average everything out? Really stressed about making rent next month so trying to plan ahead.
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Carmen Lopez
NYS Department of Labor calculates your weekly benefit rate based on your earnings during your base period, which is typically the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before you file. They'll look at your highest quarter during that period and use that to determine your benefit amount. The maximum weekly benefit rate in New York is currently $504, but most people get less than that. You can get a rough estimate by taking your highest quarter earnings and dividing by 26.
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Yuki Ito
•So if my best quarter was around $7,200, I'd get roughly $277 per week? That's actually better than I thought it would be.
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Andre Dupont
There's actually a benefit calculator on the NYS Department of Labor website that can give you an estimate. You'll need your wage information from the past 18 months or so. The system will automatically pull your wage data when you file your claim, but having the calculator beforehand helps with planning. Just remember the estimate might not be 100% accurate if there are any discrepancies in the wage records.
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QuantumQuasar
•I couldn't find that calculator anywhere on their site! Is it hidden somewhere or did they remove it?
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Andre Dupont
•It's under the 'Estimate Your Benefits' section, but honestly their website navigation is terrible. Sometimes it's easier to just call and ask, though good luck getting through.
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Zoe Papanikolaou
Been dealing with NYS Department of Labor phone issues for weeks trying to get answers about my claim. Finally found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that actually gets you through to real agents. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Used it last week and actually spoke to someone within an hour instead of calling 50 times and getting hung up on. Might be worth trying if you need to talk to someone about your specific situation.
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Jamal Wilson
•How much does that cost though? I'm already broke from losing my job.
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Zoe Papanikolaou
•Worth checking out their site for details, but honestly getting through to an actual person who can explain your exact benefit calculation is pretty valuable when you're trying to budget.
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QuantumQuasar
ugh the whole system is such a mess. took me 3 weeks just to get my first payment and even then i had no idea if the amount was right or wrong. they don't explain anything clearly
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Mei Lin
•Same here! I thought I was getting the wrong amount for months before I realized they automatically deduct taxes unless you opt out.
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Jamal Wilson
Wait so restaurant work counts the same as other jobs? I always heard service industry workers had trouble with unemployment because of tip reporting issues. Should I be worried about that affecting my benefit calculation?
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Carmen Lopez
•Tips that were properly reported to your employer and showed up on your paystubs will count toward your wage calculation. If tips weren't reported, they won't be included in your base period wages, which could lower your benefit amount. This is why it's important to report all tip income.
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