How much you get unemployment benefits in NYS - weekly payment amounts?
does anyone know how much you get unemployment per week in ny? i just filed my first claim with nysdol and im trying to figure out what to expect. my job paid me like 45k last year but idk how they calculate it. is there a cap or something? really need to know for budgeting
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James Maki
The NYS Department of Labor calculates your weekly benefit rate based on your highest quarter of earnings in your base period. For 2025, the maximum weekly benefit is $504. Your actual amount depends on your wages - they take your highest quarter earnings, divide by 26, then you get half of that amount. So if you made $45k annually, you'd need to look at your quarterly breakdown to get the exact figure.
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Kayla Morgan
•ok so like if my best quarter was maybe 12k or so then id get around 230 a week? that seems low but better than nothing i guess
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Jasmine Hancock
Wait I'm confused about this calculation too. I've been trying to figure out my weekly benefit amount but the NYS Department of Labor website isn't super clear. Do they use gross pay or net pay for the calculation? And what if you had multiple jobs during your base period?
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James Maki
•They use gross wages reported by your employers. If you had multiple jobs, they combine all wages from all employers during your base period. The system automatically pulls this from your wage records when you file your claim.
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Cole Roush
The minimum weekly benefit in NY is $104 and maximum is $504 for 2025. Your benefit rate is calculated as follows: take your highest quarter of earnings in the base period, divide by 26, then take 50% of that result. The base period is typically the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before you filed. You can see your exact calculation in your determination letter from NYS Department of Labor.
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Kayla Morgan
•thanks this helps alot! when do they send the determination letter? still waiting on mine
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Cole Roush
•Usually within 1-2 weeks of filing your initial claim, assuming there are no issues requiring adjudication. If your claim is stuck in adjudication, it could take longer.
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Scarlett Forster
ugh the whole NYS Department of Labor system is so confusing. I filed 3 weeks ago and STILL don't know my benefit amount because my claim is stuck in some kind of review. Can't get through on the phone either - always busy signal or they hang up after an hour on hold.
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Arnav Bengali
•I had the same problem with getting through to NYS Department of Labor by phone. Found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that actually got me connected to an agent in like 20 minutes. They have a video demo showing how it works: https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI. Saved me hours of calling and getting nowhere.
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Sayid Hassan
just to add - make sure you're filing your weekly claims even while waiting for your determination! lots of people miss this and then have trouble getting backpay later
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