How much is unemployment benefits per month in New York - need to know amounts
I'm trying to figure out how much unemployment money I'd get each month if I file a claim with NYS Department of Labor. I worked at a restaurant making about $42,000 last year but got laid off two weeks ago. Does anyone know what the monthly amounts are for unemployment in NY? I need to budget for rent and bills while I look for another job. Also wondering if there's a max amount they pay out?
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Miguel Herrera
Your weekly benefit rate depends on your earnings in your base period, which is usually the first 4 of the last 5 quarters before you filed. NYS Department of Labor calculates it as roughly 50% of your average weekly wage up to a maximum. For 2025, the maximum weekly benefit rate is $504, so monthly would be around $2,016 if you get the max. But with your salary, you'd probably get less than the maximum.
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Ava Thompson
•Thanks! So it's weekly payments not monthly? I didn't realize that. Do you know approximately what I'd get with a $42k salary?
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Zainab Ali
Yeah it's paid weekly, not monthly. You file your weekly claim every week to get paid. With $42k annually, your weekly wage was about $808, so you'd probably get around $400 per week in unemployment benefits. That would be roughly $1,600 per month if you multiply by 4.3 weeks. But you have to keep filing weekly claims and meet job search requirements to keep getting paid.
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Ava Thompson
•$1,600 monthly sounds about right for what I need. What are the job search requirements exactly?
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Miguel Herrera
•You need to make at least 3 job contacts per week and keep a log of your job search activities. NYS Department of Labor can audit your job search records at any time.
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Connor Murphy
just to add - if you're having trouble getting through to NYS Department of Labor to check your benefit amount or file your claim, I used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me reach an agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Really saved me time instead of calling all day trying to get through.
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Yara Nassar
•how much does that cost? seems like you shouldnt have to pay to reach unemployment
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Connor Murphy
•It's worth it when you need answers quickly and can't get through the regular phone lines. Way better than spending hours on hold or getting disconnected.
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StarGazer101
Don't forget you can only collect for 26 weeks maximum in NY unless there's extended benefits. So even if you get $400/week, it's not indefinite. Also they tax unemployment benefits so factor that in when budgeting.
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Ava Thompson
•Good point about the taxes. Do they take taxes out automatically or do I have to pay at the end of the year?
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StarGazer101
•You can choose to have 10% federal tax withheld when you file your weekly claim, or pay it all when you file your tax return.
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GalacticGladiator
Just wanted to add that you should apply as soon as possible since there's usually a one-week waiting period before you start receiving benefits. Also, make sure you have all your employment history ready - they'll need details about your last employer, dates of employment, and reason for separation. The sooner you get your claim in, the sooner you can start getting those weekly payments. Good luck with your job search!
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