How much unemployment will I get if I make $2000 a week in NY?
I've been working at a tech startup making about $2000 per week gross and there's talk of layoffs coming soon. I'm trying to figure out what my weekly unemployment benefit amount would be if I get let go. I know NYS Department of Labor has a formula but I can't make sense of their calculator online. Has anyone here made around $104k annually and can tell me what their weekly UI amount was? I need to start budgeting just in case.
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Aiden O'Connor
NYS uses your highest quarter earnings from your base period to calculate benefits. With $2000/week you're looking at roughly $26k per quarter. The maximum weekly benefit rate in NY for 2025 is $504, and you'd likely qualify for the max since you're well above the threshold. They take your highest quarter, divide by 26, then you get half of that amount up to the maximum.
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Sofía Rodríguez
•So I'd get the full $504 per week? That's actually better than I expected. Do you know how long benefits last?
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Zoe Papadopoulos
yeah i made about 90k last year and got the max amount too. its 26 weeks of benefits normally. just make sure you file right away when you get laid off dont wait
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Jamal Brown
The NYS Department of Labor calculator can be confusing but your income definitely puts you at the maximum benefit level. Just remember you'll need to do your weekly claims and job search requirements. Keep track of at least 3 job contacts per week or they'll cut your benefits. Also if you have any severance pay that might delay when your benefits start.
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Sofía Rodríguez
•Good point about severance - I think I'd get 2 weeks. Does that mean I can't collect unemployment for those 2 weeks?
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Jamal Brown
•Exactly, severance counts as wages so you can't collect UI during that period. But you can still file your initial claim, just report the severance when you do your weekly claims.
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Fatima Al-Rashid
I had such a hard time getting through to NYS Department of Labor when I needed to ask questions about my claim status. Their phone lines are always busy and the online system doesn't give you real answers. I ended up using this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that actually got me connected to an agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Saved me hours of calling and getting hung up on.
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Giovanni Rossi
•Never heard of that but anything is better than trying to call them directly! The hold times are insane.
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Aaliyah Jackson
Wait I'm confused - I thought unemployment was based on your last job's salary? My friend got laid off from a $80k job and only gets like $400 something per week. How do they calculate this stuff??
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Aiden O'Connor
•It's not your last job's salary, it's based on your earnings over the past 12-18 months in what they call your 'base period.' They look at your highest earning quarter during that time. Your friend might have had gaps in employment or lower earnings in their base period quarters.
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KylieRose
Just remember that $504 is the gross amount - they'll take out taxes if you elect to have them withheld. I learned that the hard way when I got a big tax bill the following year because I didn't have taxes taken out of my unemployment benefits.
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QuantumQuasar
•That's really important to know! I definitely want to have taxes withheld - is that something you set up when you first file your claim or can you change it later? I don't want to get hit with a surprise tax bill next year.
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Cole Roush
•You can change your tax withholding election at any time during your claim! When you log into your NY.gov account to do your weekly claim certification, there's an option to update your tax withholding preferences. They'll withhold 10% for federal taxes if you elect it. I'd definitely recommend doing it from the start to avoid that tax surprise.
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Anderson Prospero
I went through this exact situation last year when I got laid off from my finance job making similar money. You'll definitely qualify for the maximum $504/week since your income is well above the threshold. One thing to keep in mind though - the 26 weeks can go by faster than you think, especially in tech where the interview process can take months. I'd recommend applying for jobs immediately even if you think you might get called back, because the job market is pretty competitive right now. Also, make sure you understand the work search requirements from day one - they're pretty strict about the 3 job contacts per week and they do audit people.
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Malik Davis
•This is really helpful advice, thank you! I'm curious about the work search requirements - do they accept applications through job sites like LinkedIn or Indeed as valid job contacts, or do they want you to apply directly through company websites? Also, when you say they audit people, what does that look like? Do they just ask for proof of your applications or is it more involved than that?
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