NY unemployment benefit calculation - how much do I need to earn for max $600 weekly benefit?

Your benefit amount is based on your High Quarter wages during your base period (the first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters before filing). You need to have earned around $23,200+ in your highest quarter to qualify for the max $600 weekly benefit. Working only 7 months at that salary level probably didn't give you enough in a single quarter to hit the maximum. They'll look at your previous work history too if it falls in the base period.

After weeks of calling and getting nowhere with ny unemployment, I finally used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an actual person! Finally got all my benefit questions answered and fixed my payment issues. Best thing I've done - talking to a real agent got my benefits sorted in one call instead of waiting for emails that never come. Check out their youtube too https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE

I had to earn about $76K annually to get the max $600. Its all about what you earned in your highest quarter - and they only look at the first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters before you applied. So if you filed in February 2023, they're looking at Oct 2021-Sep 2022. Not the most recent months.

The formula is your highest quarter wages divided by 26. So to get the max $600, you need to have made at least $15,600 in your highest quarter. BUT they also cap it at 1/2 your average weekly wage from your high quarter. So basicly you need around $23,200+ in a single quarter to hit the max. I think that works out to around $92K annual if its consistent income.

Not sure about the exact salary but just wanted to say that $486 is actually pretty good. I was making $45k and only got $380 per week. At least your getting something decent!

Here's the full breakdown for how NY unemployment calculates benefits: - They look at your base period (first 4 of last 5 completed calendar quarters) - Find your highest quarter earnings - Divide that by 26 to get your weekly benefit rate - But it can't exceed 50% of the state's average weekly wage - And it's capped at $600 maximum To get the full $600, you need to have earned at least $15,600 in your highest quarter of the base period, which typically means an annual salary of $93,600+ if your income is steady throughout the year. If you're having trouble reaching someone to answer questions, I highly recommend using claimyr.com - it's a calling service that gets you connected to an actual NY unemployment agent. I wasted 2 weeks trying to call myself before using them and got through same day. 100% worth it when you have complicated questions that only a rep can answer.

The whole system is designed to be confusing af 🤬 I spent hours trying to figure this out when I got laid off. Got different answers from diffrent people too. Most reliable source was the handbook they mail out.

have you checked your determination letter? should show how they calculated it. mine showed the quarters they used and the exact formula.

I work in HR and help employees with this stuff all the time. For 2023, to get the maximum $600 weekly benefit, you need to have earned at least $15,600 in your highest quarter during the base period. For most people, thats around $93,600 annual salary assuming your pay is consistent throughout the year. With your $58,000 salary and only 7 months at that job, you probably didnt hit the threshold in any single quarter. The $486 sounds accurate based on what you described.

Ughhh ny unemployment is such a nightmare to deal with. Took me 5 weeks to even get my first payment and then had to deal with all kinds of calculation issues. If you need to talk to a person (which you probly do), good luck. I finally used claimyr.com after seeing it mentioned here, and it actually worked. Got me through to someone who fixed my benefit amount that same day.

$486 actually sounds about right for your salary. I was making around $62k and got $510 weekly. From what I understand you need to make over $90k to get the full $600.

Don't obsess over the maximum tbh. At least you're getting something! I got laid off from my $42k job and am only getting $340/week which barely covers my rent. Consider yourself lucky with the $486

Just wanted to share my experience since I went through something similar. I got laid off from a $65k job after working there for about 8 months and was getting $520/week. The determination letter they sent me showed exactly how they calculated it - they took my highest quarter earnings ($16,250) and divided by 26 weeks, which gave me the $520. So your $486 makes total sense if your highest quarter was around $12,600. The whole base period thing is confusing at first but once you understand they're looking at completed quarters (not your most recent work), it clicks. Hope this helps!

Based on all the helpful info in this thread, it sounds like you're getting the right amount! I went through the same confusion when I first got laid off. The NY DOL website really doesn't explain the base period calculation clearly at all. What helped me was requesting a copy of my wage record from the DOL website - it shows exactly which quarters they used and your earnings for each one. That way you can see for yourself how they arrived at your benefit amount. It takes a few days to get it but it's free and gives you the complete picture of how they calculated everything. The $486 you're getting actually seems pretty reasonable for a $58k salary with only 7 months of work history at that level. At least you know you're not missing out on money you should be getting!

I've been following this thread as someone who just started my unemployment claim process and this has been incredibly helpful! The base period calculation thing really is confusing - I had no idea they weren't looking at my most recent earnings. I'm in a similar situation where I worked at a higher-paying job for only about 6 months before getting laid off, so I'm expecting my benefit amount will probably be lower than the maximum too. It's frustrating that the DOL website doesn't explain this clearly upfront, but at least now I understand why my benefit calculation might not be what I initially expected. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences and actual numbers - it really helps newcomers like me understand how this whole system works!

Just went through something very similar! Got laid off from a $55k job after working there for 8 months and was confused why I was only getting $450/week instead of the max. After reading all these responses, I finally understand the base period calculation. It's so frustrating that they don't explain this clearly anywhere - I spent hours on their website trying to figure it out. The determination letter does help once you know what to look for, but they should really make this more transparent upfront. At least now I know I'm getting the right amount based on my earnings history. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences and breaking down the math!