How much do you get for unemployment benefits in New York? Need to understand NYS Department of Labor payment amounts

NYS Department of Labor calculates your weekly benefit rate based on your highest earning quarter from the past 5 quarters, then divides that by 26. For 2025, the maximum weekly benefit is $504. So if you were making around $18/hour for 32-35 hours weekly, you'd probably qualify for somewhere between $280-350 per week depending on your exact earnings history. You can get a better estimate by logging into your my.ny.gov account and using their benefit calculator.

The calculation is actually your highest quarter divided by 26, but there's also a minimum you have to meet. Right now the minimum is $104 per week and maximum is $504. Your $18/hour job should definitely put you above the minimum. Just make sure you file your claim as soon as you're laid off - you can't get benefits for weeks before you actually file with NYS Department of Labor.

ugh the whole system is so confusing! I tried to estimate mine when I got laid off last year and was way off. The NYS Department of Labor website has all this complicated language about base periods and qualifying wages. I ended up getting way less than I thought I would because I had switched jobs earlier that year.

If you're having trouble getting through to NYS Department of Labor to ask questions about your specific situation, I used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get connected to 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 the regular number and getting hung up on constantly.

Don't forget you'll probably have to pay taxes on the unemployment money too. I made that mistake my first time and owed money when I filed my taxes.

The maximum keeps going up each year which is good I guess. When I was on unemployment in 2022 it was way lower. Still not enough to cover most people's bills though, especially with rent prices now.

Just want to add that you should also check if your employer offers any severance package - sometimes that can affect when you're eligible to start collecting unemployment benefits. Also, make sure you have all your wage information ready when you file. NYS Department of Labor will need details about your earnings for the past 18 months, so gather up your pay stubs or W-2s beforehand. The whole process goes much smoother when you have everything organized.

I've been through this process recently and want to share some additional tips. First, regarding the tax question that came up - unemployment benefits are considered taxable income, so you can either have taxes withheld automatically (10% federal) or pay them when you file your return. Second, for calculating your benefits, NYS Department of Labor looks at your "base period" which is typically the first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters before you file. So if you file in January 2025, they'd look at your earnings from January-December 2024. This is why job changes can affect your benefit amount - if you had lower earnings in that specific timeframe, it impacts your weekly benefit rate. Also, once you're approved, you have to certify for benefits every week and show that you're actively looking for work. Keep track of your job search activities because they can audit this. The whole process can take 2-4 weeks from filing to receiving your first payment, so don't wait to apply once you're laid off.