How much is NYC unemployment benefits weekly maximum in 2025?
I'm trying to figure out how much unemployment I can get if I file a claim in NYC. I was making $85,000 annually at my marketing job before getting laid off last week. Does anyone know what the current weekly benefit amount is for NYS Department of Labor? I heard it's different from other states but can't find clear info on the NY.gov site.
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Victoria Scott
The maximum weekly benefit amount in New York is $504 as of 2025. Your actual amount depends on your earnings history during the base period. NYS Department of Labor calculates it using your highest quarter earnings divided by 26, but it can't exceed that $504 maximum. With your salary, you'll likely get close to the max.
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Ezra Collins
•Thanks! So even though I was making good money, I'm capped at $504? That's going to be tight but better than nothing I guess.
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Benjamin Johnson
yeah the max is $504 but thats before taxes too, they take out federal taxes unless you opt out
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Zara Perez
I had trouble getting through to NYS Department of Labor to check my benefit amount when I filed. Kept getting disconnected after waiting on hold forever. If you run into the same issue, I found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me get through to an actual agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Made the whole process way less stressful.
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Ezra Collins
•Interesting, I'll keep that in mind if I can't get through when I file. Did they help you figure out your benefit amount quickly?
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Zara Perez
•Yes, the agent was able to pull up my earnings history and explain exactly how they calculated my weekly amount. Much better than trying to decode the website.
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Daniel Rogers
Don't forget you can get benefits for up to 26 weeks typically, so that $504 weekly adds up. Just make sure you're doing your job search requirements - they're pretty strict about that now. You need to do 3 work search activities per week and keep a log.
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Aaliyah Reed
The system is so confusing though! I thought the amount was based on what you made in your last job but apparently it's some complicated calculation from multiple quarters? Why can't they just make it simple like a percentage of your last paycheck??
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Victoria Scott
•It's based on your base period earnings, which is usually the first 4 of the last 5 completed quarters before you file. They use your highest quarter during that period. It's designed to account for seasonal work variations and give a more stable calculation.
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