NYS Department of Labor unemployment benefit calculation for $2000 weekly salary - how much will I get?
I just got laid off from my job where I was making $2000 per week (around $104k annually). I'm trying to figure out what my NYS Department of Labor unemployment benefits will be so I can plan my budget. Does anyone know how they calculate the weekly benefit amount? I've been working at this salary for about 18 months and before that made around $85k at my previous job. I'm really stressed about making ends meet and want to know what to expect when I file my claim.
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Fatima Al-Farsi
NYS Department of Labor calculates your benefit using your highest earning quarter from the past 15 months, then divides by 26. With your salary, you'll likely hit the maximum weekly benefit amount which is $504 in 2025. The max is based on 50% of the state average weekly wage, so even high earners get capped at that amount.
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Giovanni Greco
•Wait, so even though I was making $2000 a week, I can only get $504? That's barely 25% of what I was earning. This is going to be really tough financially.
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Dylan Wright
Yeah the max benefit is rough when you're used to a higher salary. I was making about $1800/week and also got the $504 max. You just have to adjust your spending and hopefully find something quick. The good news is you'll definitely qualify for the full 26 weeks since you've been working steady.
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Sofia Torres
•Don't forget you can also look into standby status if your employer thinks they might call you back. Sometimes that can be better than regular UI depending on your situation.
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GalacticGuardian
I had similar earnings and ran into issues when I first filed because NYS Department of Labor couldn't verify my wages right away. Make sure you have your pay stubs ready and keep checking your claim status. Also the job search requirements are pretty strict now - you need to document 3 job search activities per week.
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Dmitry Smirnov
•If you're having trouble getting through to verify anything with NYS Department of Labor, I used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that actually got me connected to an agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Saved me hours of trying to call myself.
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Ava Rodriguez
ugh the whole system is so unfair to people who actually earn decent money. we pay way more in taxes but get the same crappy max benefit as someone making half as much. meanwhile people who barely worked get almost the same amount. makes no sense!!
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Fatima Al-Farsi
•I understand the frustration, but the system is designed as a safety net, not income replacement. The goal is to provide basic support while you search for new employment, not to maintain your previous lifestyle.
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Miguel Diaz
Just file asap, the sooner you get it started the better. And yeah $504 is the max but it's better than nothing while you job hunt.
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Daniel Price
I went through this exact situation last year when I was laid off from a $95k job. The $504 max is definitely a shock at first, but here's what helped me: Start applying immediately since there's a waiting week, set up direct deposit to get payments faster, and consider this an opportunity to reassess your expenses. I actually ended up finding a better position within 12 weeks. Also, don't forget you might be eligible for COBRA subsidies or marketplace health insurance to help with medical coverage during the transition.
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Tasia Synder
•Thanks for sharing your experience @Daniel Price! That's really encouraging to hear you found something better within 12 weeks. I'm definitely going to file right away - didn't realize there was a waiting week. The COBRA subsidies tip is super helpful too since I was worried about losing my health insurance on top of everything else. Did you find the job search requirements manageable while dealing with the stress of being unemployed?
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