How much unemployment will I get if I make $1500 a week - NYS Department of Labor weekly benefit calculation?
I've been working at my current job for about 2 years making $1500 per week gross. My company just announced layoffs coming next month and I'm pretty sure I'll be affected. I'm trying to figure out what my weekly unemployment benefit would be through NYS Department of Labor so I can plan my budget. I know they use some kind of formula but I can't find clear info on their website. Has anyone here had a similar salary and can tell me roughly what to expect? I really need to know if this will even cover my rent.
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Paige Cantoni
NYS Department of Labor calculates your weekly benefit rate using your highest quarter earnings from your base period. With $1500/week ($78,000 annually), you'd likely max out at the current maximum weekly benefit rate of $504. The formula is roughly 1/26th of your highest quarter earnings, but there's a cap. You should also qualify for the maximum 26 weeks of benefits since you've been working steadily for 2 years.
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Chad Winthrope
•Thanks! $504 is way less than I hoped but at least it's something. Do you know if that amount includes any taxes taken out or is that the gross amount?
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Kylo Ren
yeah i was making around $1400 a week before i got laid off last year. ended up getting the max which was like $504 back then too. it definitely doesn't come close to replacing your full salary but it helps with basics. you can choose to have taxes withheld or pay them later
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Chad Winthrope
•Good to know about the tax withholding option. I'd rather have them take it out so I don't get hit with a big bill later.
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Nina Fitzgerald
Just a heads up - if your layoff is scheduled for next month, you can't file your claim until you're actually unemployed. But you should gather your employment documents now. You'll need your last few pay stubs and employer information for the NYS Department of Labor application. The online system at my.ny.gov works pretty well for filing, much better than trying to call in.
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Chad Winthrope
•That's smart advice about gathering documents early. I've heard the phone lines are impossible to get through to anyway.
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Jason Brewer
I've been trying to reach NYS Department of Labor for weeks about my claim status and it's been a nightmare. The automated system just hangs up after making you wait forever. Someone told me about this service called Claimyr that can actually get you through to a real person at NYS Department of Labor. Check out claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Might be worth looking into if you run into issues with your claim.
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Kiara Fisherman
•Interesting, never heard of that service before. Does it actually work or is it just another scam?
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Jason Brewer
•I was skeptical too but it actually worked for me. Got connected to someone at NYS Department of Labor within like 20 minutes when I'd been trying for weeks on my own.
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Liam Cortez
The whole unemployment system is such a joke. They make it so complicated to figure out your benefits and then pay you pennies compared to what you actually need to survive. $504 a week in New York? That's laughable. My rent alone is more than that.
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Savannah Vin
•I hear you on the frustration but unemployment was never meant to fully replace your salary. It's designed to be temporary assistance while you job hunt. Still sucks though when you're dealing with NYC cost of living.
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Nia Williams
Just went through this process myself after getting laid off from a similar salary range. One thing to keep in mind is that the $504 maximum is based on the state-wide average, but it really doesn't account for regional cost differences. Since you mentioned rent being a concern, you might want to look into other assistance programs too - like SNAP benefits or utility assistance programs that you can apply for while on unemployment. Also, if you have any side income or freelance work, make sure to report it properly when you file your weekly claims. NYS is pretty strict about that and you don't want any issues down the line.
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Levi Parker
•That's really helpful advice about looking into other assistance programs. I hadn't thought about SNAP benefits but that could definitely help stretch the unemployment payments further. Do you know if there are any income limits for those programs when you're receiving unemployment? Also good point about reporting side income - I might pick up some freelance work to make ends meet but want to make sure I do it by the book.
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Brandon Parker
•@Nia Williams That s'really solid advice about the additional assistance programs. I m'definitely going to look into SNAP since every bit helps when you re'trying to make $504 stretch in NY. Do you happen to know if there are any other state or local programs that pair well with unemployment benefits? I m'in the NYC area so cost of living is brutal. Also appreciate the heads up about reporting side income properly - better to be overly cautious with NYS Department of Labor than risk any complications with the claim.
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Ava Rodriguez
One thing I'd add to the great advice already shared here - make sure you understand the base period calculation. NYS uses the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before you file. So if you get laid off next month and file in say February, they'll look at your earnings from roughly April 2023 through March 2024. If you've had any salary increases in the past year, that might affect which quarters give you the highest earnings for the calculation. Also, while $504 is the current max, keep an eye out for any updates to the benefit amounts - they do adjust periodically based on state wage data.
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Emily Jackson
•That's a really important point about the base period calculation that I hadn't considered. Since I've been making $1500/week consistently for the past 2 years, hopefully all my quarters will be pretty similar, but it's good to know how they actually determine which earnings to use. Do you know if there's any way to see what your base period earnings look like before you file, or do you just have to wait and see what they calculate? I want to make sure I have realistic expectations going into this whole process.
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Mikayla Brown
•@Ava Rodriguez You can actually get a rough idea of your base period earnings by looking at your wage statements or tax documents from those quarters. NYS Department of Labor also has a benefit calculator on their website that can give you an estimate if you plug in your quarterly earnings. It s'not 100% exact since they have to verify everything with your employers, but it ll'get you in the ballpark. I d'recommend doing that calculation now so you can plan accordingly - it s'much better to know what to expect than be surprised later when you re'already dealing with the stress of unemployment.
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