NYS Department of Labor unemployment benefits - how much is unemployment paying right now in 2025?
I'm thinking about filing for unemployment but want to know what the current weekly benefit amounts are. I know it depends on your previous earnings but what's the range right now? My last job paid about $52,000 annually and I'm trying to figure out if unemployment will cover my basic expenses while I look for work. Does anyone know the current maximum weekly benefit amount from NYS Department of Labor?
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Natasha Petrova
The maximum weekly benefit amount for 2025 is $504 per week. Your actual amount depends on your base period wages - typically you get about 50% of your average weekly wage up to that maximum. With a $52k salary, you'd probably qualify for close to the max since that's around $1000 per week gross.
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Oliver Fischer
•Thanks! That's actually better than I expected. Do you know if there are any additional payments on top of the base amount?
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Javier Morales
yeah the max is $504 but most people dont get that much... i was making about 45k and only get $420 per week
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Emma Davis
The NYS Department of Labor calculates your weekly benefit rate using the highest quarter of earnings in your base period. You can use their online calculator on the my.ny.gov website to get an estimate before you file. Just remember you'll need to file weekly claims and meet the job search requirements to keep receiving benefits.
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GalaxyGlider
•I had so much trouble getting through to NYS Department of Labor when I had questions about my benefit calculation. Kept getting hung up on after waiting forever. Finally used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helps you actually reach a live agent - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Saved me hours of calling.
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Malik Robinson
Wait I'm confused about the job search thing - how many jobs do you have to apply to each week? And what if you're on standby from your regular job, do you still have to do job searches??
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Natasha Petrova
•If you're on standby status, you typically don't need to do job searches since you're expected to return to your regular employer. For regular UI claims, you need to make 3 job search contacts per week unless you're in approved training.
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Isabella Silva
The whole system is such a mess honestly. They change the amounts every year and never make it clear what you'll actually get until you file. Plus with all the adjudication delays lately, you might wait weeks before seeing any money anyway.
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Ravi Choudhury
Just to add - the $504 maximum assumes you earned enough in your base period to qualify for it. If you just started working recently or had gaps in employment, your benefit amount could be much lower even with a decent salary.
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Natasha Volkov
One thing to keep in mind is that unemployment benefits are taxable income, so you'll want to factor that in when budgeting. You can choose to have taxes withheld (10% federal) or pay quarterly estimated taxes. Also, with a $52k salary, you should definitely qualify for a decent benefit amount - probably in the $450-500 range based on what others are saying here. The online calculator Emma mentioned is really helpful for getting a realistic estimate before you file.
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