How to calculate unemployment weekly benefit amount - NYS Department of Labor formula explained
I'm trying to figure out exactly how to calculate unemployment benefits before I file my claim with NYS Department of Labor. I've been working for the past 18 months making about $52,000 annually but I'm not sure how they determine your weekly benefit amount. I know it's based on your earnings but I can't find a clear explanation of the actual calculation formula anywhere on the my.ny.gov website. Does anyone know the specific steps NYS Department of Labor uses to calculate your weekly UI benefit? I want to have realistic expectations before I submit my application.
16 comments
Join the conversation
Samantha Howard
NYS Department of Labor uses your highest quarter earnings from your base period (first 4 of the last 5 completed quarters before you file). They take that highest quarter amount, divide by 26, then that's your weekly benefit rate. Maximum is currently $504 per week. So if your highest quarter was $13,000, you'd get $500 weekly ($13,000 ÷ 26 = $500).
0 coins
Benjamin Kim
•Thank you! So they don't look at my total annual earnings, just the single highest quarter? That makes more sense now.
0 coins
Megan D'Acosta
wait i thought it was based on your total earnings over the whole base period? i've been unemployed twice and never really understood how they got my numbers
0 coins
Sarah Ali
The calculation is actually more specific than that. NYS Department of Labor looks at your base period wages (the first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters). You need at least $2,600 in your highest quarter AND total base period wages of at least 1.5 times your highest quarter amount to qualify. Then your weekly benefit rate is your highest quarter divided by 26, capped at the maximum which is $504 for 2025.
0 coins
Benjamin Kim
•This is really helpful! So there's both a minimum qualification threshold AND the calculation formula. I think I meet both requirements based on my earnings.
0 coins
Ryan Vasquez
•Yeah the 1.5 times rule trips up a lot of people who had one really good quarter but not much other earnings. NYS Department of Labor wants to see consistent work history.
0 coins
Avery Saint
ugh this system is so confusing!!! why can't they just use your last year's W2 like normal people would think?? I spent hours trying to figure this out when I got laid off and the NYS Department of Labor website is absolutely useless for explaining anything clearly
0 coins
Taylor Chen
I had trouble reaching NYS Department of Labor to get my calculation explained when my benefit amount seemed wrong. Kept getting disconnected after waiting on hold forever. Finally used claimyr.com which got me through to an actual agent who walked through my calculation step by step. There's a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Saved me so much frustration compared to calling the regular number.
0 coins
Benjamin Kim
•I might need to try that if I run into issues. The phone system sounds like a nightmare from what everyone says.
0 coins
Megan D'Acosta
•is that like a paid service or something? seems weird to pay someone to call for you
0 coins
Taylor Chen
•It's worth it when you can't get through any other way and need answers about your claim. Way less stressful than spending hours on hold.
0 coins
Keith Davidson
Just a heads up - if you worked in multiple states during your base period you might need to file an interstate claim which can affect the calculation. NYS Department of Labor will combine wages from other states but it gets more complicated.
0 coins
Ali Anderson
For someone making $52k annually, you're probably looking at around $400-500 per week if your earnings were spread evenly across quarters. The key thing to remember is that NYS Department of Labor uses calendar quarters, not rolling quarters. So if you're filing in May 2025, your base period would be Q1 2024 through Q4 2024. Make sure you have all your pay stubs or W-2s handy when you file because they'll verify your wages. The online application will walk you through it but having your earnings breakdown by quarter beforehand really helps speed up the process.
0 coins
Luca Russo
•This is really practical advice! I hadn't thought about organizing my pay stubs by calendar quarter beforehand. Since I've been consistently employed, my earnings should be pretty evenly distributed across those quarters. It sounds like I should be in that $400-500 range you mentioned, which would be really helpful. Thanks for the tip about having the documentation ready - I'll gather everything before I start the application process.
0 coins
StarStrider
One thing that helped me when I was calculating my potential benefits was using the NYS Department of Labor's online benefit calculator tool if you can find it, but honestly their website navigation is terrible. Another tip - if you had any periods of reduced hours or partial unemployment in your base period, that can actually work in your favor since they'll still count those wages toward your highest quarter. Also keep in mind that if you're filing now in May 2025, make sure you know exactly when your last day of work was because that determines which quarters count as your base period. The timing can make a difference of hundreds of dollars depending on whether your most recent high-earning quarter gets included or not.
0 coins
Noah Ali
•This is really helpful information about the timing aspect! I hadn't considered how the exact date of my last day of work could affect which quarters are included in my base period. Since I'm still employed but planning ahead, I'll need to be strategic about when I actually file if I do end up needing unemployment benefits. The point about reduced hours still counting toward the highest quarter is interesting too - that could help people who had some temporary cutbacks but stayed employed. Do you happen to know if there's a specific day of the month that's better to file to maximize which quarters get included?
0 coins