How much unemployment will I get if I make $900 a week - NYS Department of Labor benefit calculation?
I'm trying to figure out what my weekly benefit amount would be if I have to file for unemployment. I currently make $900 per week at my job. Does anyone know how NYS Department of Labor calculates the weekly benefit amount? I've heard it's based on your highest quarter but I'm not sure exactly how they do the math. Also wondering if there's a maximum they'll pay out regardless of what you made.
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Natasha Kuznetsova
NYS Department of Labor uses your highest quarter from your base period (first 4 of the last 5 completed quarters). They take that amount and divide by 26 to get your weekly benefit rate. Maximum weekly benefit for 2025 is $504. So if you're making $900/week consistently, you'd likely hit that max since $900 x 13 weeks = $11,700 per quarter, divided by 26 = $450 weekly benefit.
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Oliver Wagner
•Thanks! So even though I make $900 a week I'd only get $450 in unemployment? That's only half my pay.
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Natasha Kuznetsova
•Exactly. Unemployment is designed to be temporary assistance, not full wage replacement. Most people get around 50% of their regular wages, with the $504 maximum being the cap regardless of how much you earned.
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Javier Mendoza
wait i thought it was based on your last job not quarters?? this is confusing
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Emma Thompson
•No, it's definitely based on quarters. NYS Department of Labor looks at your wage history over multiple quarters to calculate benefits, not just your most recent job. The base period calculation ensures you have sufficient work history.
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Malik Davis
I had trouble getting through to NYS Department of Labor when I needed to verify my benefit calculation last year. Kept getting busy signals for weeks. Finally used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an actual agent who explained everything. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Made the whole process so much easier than trying to call myself.
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Isabella Santos
•How much did that cost? I'm always skeptical of services that charge to do what you can supposedly do yourself.
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Malik Davis
•I was skeptical too but it was worth it to actually talk to someone who could pull up my account and explain the calculation. Way better than sitting on hold for hours or getting disconnected.
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StarStrider
The whole system is designed to keep you poor. $504 max when rent alone is like $2000+ in most places. And they wonder why people stay on unemployment as long as possible
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Ravi Gupta
•I mean it's supposed to be temporary though right? Like motivation to find another job?
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StarStrider
•Tell that to someone with kids who can't afford to take a minimum wage job because it pays less than unemployment plus they lose benefits
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Emma Thompson
Also remember you'll need to file weekly claims and meet job search requirements. NYS Department of Labor requires 3 job contacts per week minimum, and you need to keep detailed records in case they audit your job search log. Don't forget about the waiting week either - your first week won't be paid.
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Ethan Davis
Just want to add that if you've had multiple jobs or income changes throughout the year, the quarter-based calculation can work in your favor. NYS DOL looks at your highest earning quarter, so if you had a period where you made more than $900/week (overtime, bonus quarters, etc.), that could boost your benefit calculation. Also worth noting that the $504 maximum gets adjusted annually for inflation, so it might be slightly different by the time you actually need to file. The base period can be tricky to understand - it's not your most recent quarters, but the first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters before you file your claim.
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Giovanni Ricci
•That's a really good point about the highest quarter calculation! I didn't realize it could work in your favor if you had higher earnings in previous quarters. So hypothetically, if someone worked overtime heavily in one quarter and made say $1200/week for 13 weeks, that higher quarter would be used instead of their regular $900/week quarters? That could potentially get them closer to that $504 maximum. The base period timing is definitely confusing - so it's not looking at your most recent work but going back further?
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