How much do people make on unemployment benefits in NY - what should I expect?

NYS Department of Labor calculates your weekly benefit rate based on your highest earning quarter in your base period, not your annual salary. For 2025, the maximum weekly benefit is $504. You'll get roughly 50% of your average weekly wage up to that cap. With your $52k salary, you'd probably qualify for somewhere around $400-450 per week depending on your exact earnings history.

Yeah the calculation is weird but it works out better than most people think initially. I was making about $48k and got $385 weekly. The key thing is they look at your base period wages which is usually the first 4 of the last 5 completed quarters before you file. Make sure you file as soon as possible because there's a waiting week.

Just went through this myself after getting laid off from my tech job in December. Was making $65k and maxed out at the $504 weekly. It's honestly not terrible for temporary income but definitely not enough to maintain your same lifestyle. You get 26 weeks normally. The NYS Department of Labor website has a benefit calculator that gives you a rough estimate if you want to check.

One thing nobody mentions is that unemployment is TAXABLE income! I learned this the hard way last year when I owed money at tax time. Make sure you either have them withhold taxes or set aside money for next year's filing.

If you're having trouble getting through to NYS Department of Labor to ask questions about your benefit amount, I used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me reach an actual agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Was way easier than trying to call myself and getting disconnected constantly.

honestly the amount varies SO much depending on what you were making before. my friend who worked retail got like $200 a week but my other friend who worked at a bank got almost $500. it's all about your previous earnings

I'm in a similar situation - just got laid off from my accounting job making $48k. From what I've researched, NY unemployment benefits are calculated at roughly 50% of your average weekly wage from your highest earning quarter during the "base period" (usually the first 4 of the last 5 completed quarters before you file). With your $52k salary, you should qualify for around $400-450 per week, which is actually more manageable than I initially thought. The maximum weekly benefit in NY for 2025 is $504. One tip I learned - file your claim immediately even if you're not sure about all the details, because any delays can cost you money and there's a one-week waiting period before payments start.