How much unemployment will I get if I make $300 a week - NYS Department of Labor calculation?

NYS Department of Labor uses your highest quarter earnings from the base period to calculate your weekly benefit rate. For someone making $300/week, you'd probably qualify for around $150-180 per week, but it depends on your total earnings over the past 18 months. They look at all covered employment, not just your current job. You need to have earned at least $2,600 in your base period and worked in at least two quarters to qualify.

i make around the same and got like $160 a week when i was on unemployment last year. but you have to do the job search stuff every week which is annoying

The exact formula is: your weekly benefit rate equals 1/26th of your highest quarter earnings during the base period, up to the maximum weekly benefit rate (currently $504 in 2025). Since you're making $300/week now, that's about $3,900 per quarter if you worked all 13 weeks. Your WBR would be around $150. But if you had higher earnings in a previous quarter from your full-time job, that could increase your benefit amount significantly.

I've been trying to get through to NYS Department of Labor for weeks to ask similar questions about my claim calculation and can never get anyone on the phone. The hold times are ridiculous and half the time I get disconnected. I actually found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helps people get through to unemployment agents faster. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Saved me hours of calling and I finally got answers about my benefit calculation.

Just remember you still have to meet all the other requirements too - like being able and available for work, actively searching for jobs, and not refusing suitable work offers. The weekly benefit amount is just one part of it.

ugh the whole system is so confusing!! i wish they would just tell you upfront what you qualify for instead of making you guess

The base period is actually really important to understand - it's the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before you file your claim. So if you file in 2025, they'd look at your earnings from early 2024 through late 2024, not just recent weeks. This means your full-time job earnings will definitely be considered if they fall within that timeframe. I'd recommend calling them directly or using their online calculator with your actual quarterly earnings to get the most accurate estimate.

This thread has been super helpful! I'm in a similar situation - currently making around $320/week but had a much better paying job earlier last year. One thing I learned when I applied was to make sure you have your Social Security earnings statement handy too, since sometimes employers don't report wages correctly to the state. You can check your earnings history on the NYS Department of Labor website once you create an account, and it should show all your covered wages by quarter. If something looks wrong, you can dispute it, but it takes time to resolve. Also, don't forget that if you're eligible, you might also qualify for the federal programs that sometimes extend benefits during economic downturns.