How much does NYS Department of Labor unemployment pay in 2025?

NYS Department of Labor calculates your weekly benefit amount based on your highest quarter of earnings in your base period. For 2025, the maximum weekly benefit is $504. To get the exact amount, they take your highest quarter earnings, divide by 26, then multiply by 0.5. So if your highest quarter was $6,000, you'd get about $115 per week. You can check your benefit calculation on the my.ny.gov portal once you file your claim.

The NYS Department of Labor calculates your weekly benefit amount based on your earnings during your base period, which is typically the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before you file. For 2025, the maximum weekly benefit is $504, but most people get less than that. They take your highest quarter earnings, divide by 26, then you get about half of that as your weekly benefit. With your wage history, you're probably looking at somewhere between $280-350 per week depending on how many hours you worked.

dont forget you gotta pay taxes on unemployment too, they dont take it out automatically unless you ask them to

The formula can be confusing but basically it's 50% of your average weekly wage from your base period, up to the state maximum. Your base period is usually the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before you filed. If you were making $18/hour at 35 hours that's $630 weekly, so you'd probably qualify for a decent amount. Just make sure to file your weekly claims on time and keep doing your job search requirements.

I've been trying to get through to NYS Department of Labor for weeks to ask about my benefit amount calculation because something seems wrong with mine. Their phone lines are always busy and the online chat never works. It's so frustrating when you need answers about your claim.

just filed my claim last week and still waiting to hear back about my weekly benefit amount, this whole process takes forever

You also need to factor in the waiting week - NYS eliminated it during COVID but it came back. Plus you have to do job search activities and certify weekly to keep getting paid. The money usually hits your account 2-3 days after you certify if there are no issues with your claim.

I was getting around $320/week when I was on unemployment last year and I was making similar money to you. It's not great but it helps. Just make sure you apply as soon as possible because there can be delays in processing, especially if they need to verify your employment or if your claim goes into adjudication for any reason.

One more thing to keep in mind - you can receive unemployment benefits for up to 26 weeks in New York, but you have to actively search for work and report your job search activities with your weekly claim certification. The amount stays the same throughout your benefit year unless you have earnings from part-time work that affect your weekly payment.

If you're having trouble reaching someone at NYS Department of Labor about your benefit amount or claim status, I found this service called Claimyr that helped me get through to an actual agent. They have a website at claimyr.com and there's a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Saved me hours of calling and getting busy signals.

whatever you do dont wait to file!! i made that mistake and lost like 3 weeks of benefits because i thought i had to wait or something. file online as soon as you can

I went through this exact situation last year! With your hours and wage ($18/hour at 35 hours), you're looking at roughly $315 per week based on the formula they use. The key thing is they look at your highest earning quarter during your base period. Since you worked there for 2 years, you should have plenty of work history to qualify. Just remember to file your claim right away - you can do it online at my.ny.gov. Also keep track of all your job search activities because you'll need to report them when you certify each week. The whole process can take a couple weeks to get your first payment, so don't panic if it's not immediate. Good luck with your job search!