My NY unemployment maximum benefit rate suddenly increased - normal or mistake?
I just checked my NY unemployment account online and noticed my maximum benefit rate increased by $74 compared to last week. I didn't do anything different with my claims and haven't reported any new employment. Has anyone else experienced a random increase in their benefit amount? Should I be worried they made a mistake and will ask for this money back later? I'm happy about the extra money but don't want to get hit with an overpayment issue down the road.
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ShadowHunter
did u get any letter or notice in ur inbox? they usually dont just change benefit amounts for no reason
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Chloe Taylor
•Nothing in my inbox or messages. The payment just showed up higher than before. That's why I'm concerned.
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Diego Ramirez
This actually happened to me last month! I freaked out thinking I was getting money I wasn't supposed to. Turns out the NYSDOL did their annual adjustment to benefit rates in January 2025. The max weekly benefit increased for everyone based on some calculation with the average weekly wage in NY. It's totally normal and you don't need to worry about paying it back.
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Chloe Taylor
•Oh wow, I had no idea they did annual adjustments! That's such a relief to hear. Thank you for explaining!
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Anastasia Sokolov
The previous response is correct. New York adjusts its maximum benefit rate annually based on the state's average weekly wage. For 2025, the maximum weekly benefit rate increased from $625 to $699, which matches your $74 increase. This adjustment happens automatically in the system for qualified claimants, which is why you didn't receive any specific notification about it. This is standard procedure and nothing to worry about.
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Sean O'Connor
•wait they didnt even tell people???? typical government BS, they never communicate anything properly. but hey, more money is more money i guess lol
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Zara Ahmed
I'm going through the same thing but in reverse! My benefit amount DECREASED by $53 last week with zero explanation. Has anyone dealt with a sudden decrease? Should I be calling them about this or is there some other adjustment going on that I'm missing? Feeling really stressed about this since I budget everything to the dollar.
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Anastasia Sokolov
•A decrease is different from an increase and should be investigated. This could be due to a recalculation of your base period wages, a partial benefit reduction if you reported earnings, or potentially an error. I recommend checking your payment history for any notes and contacting NYSDOL directly to inquire about the specific reason for your reduction.
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Luca Conti
OMGGG trying to call NYSDOL to ask about benefit changes is IMPOSSIBLE!!!! I tried for THREE DAYS last week to get through about my claim issues. The automated system just hangs up when they're "too busy" which is ALWAYS. Anyone found a way to actually talk to a real person there???
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Nia Johnson
•I was in the same boat trying to reach NYSDOL about my benefit rate change. After getting nowhere for days, I tried this service called Claimyr that got me through to an agent in about 40 minutes. They basically call for you and then connect you when they reach someone. Saved me hours of redial hell. You can see how it works here: https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE and their website is claimyr.com. It worked really well when I needed to ask about my benefit calculation.
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Sean O'Connor
i'm pretty sure the increase happens every January. my friend who's been on unemployment longer said it's normal. they never send notices about good news lol only when they want money back.
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Chloe Taylor
•That makes sense. I guess I was just paranoid because of all the stories about overpayments. Thanks for confirming!
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Zara Ahmed
Does anyone know if these rate adjustments affect everyone equally? Like do people at the maximum benefit rate get the same dollar increase as people at lower benefit rates? I'm trying to understand if the whole scale shifted or just the maximum.
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Anastasia Sokolov
•Great question. The adjustment primarily affects those receiving the maximum benefit rate. If your calculated benefit was already below the previous maximum, your rate typically wouldn't change. However, if your calculated benefit was capped at the old maximum but would have been higher, you might see an increase up to the new maximum. It's not a percentage increase across all benefit levels.
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Diego Ramirez
By the way, I had a similar panic when I first saw my benefit increase. I literally took screenshots of everything just in case they tried to say I did something wrong later. The unemployment system makes us all so paranoid! But like others said, this annual adjustment is totally legit.
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Chloe Taylor
•Taking screenshots is actually a really good idea regardless. I'm going to start doing that with all my claim information. Better safe than sorry!
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ShadowHunter
so we all just got a raise without being told?? sweet! im buying pizza tonight lol
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Chloe Taylor
Thanks everyone for the reassurance! I feel so much better knowing this is just a normal annual adjustment and not some mistake that's going to come back to haunt me. It's weird they don't send a notice about it, but I'll take the extra money without complaint!
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Diego Ramirez
•Yeah, the lack of communication is frustrating but pretty typical. Just be aware this might affect your total benefit amount/length. If you're on regular UI with a set maximum benefit amount, you might reach that limit a little faster with the higher weekly payments. Just something to keep in mind for budgeting!
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