NYS Department of Labor unemployment benefits - how much will I get making $600 weekly?
So I've been working at this warehouse job for about 8 months now making around $600 a week before taxes. Management just announced they're doing layoffs next month and I'm probably going to be one of them since I'm newer. I've never filed for unemployment before and honestly have no idea how much I'd even get from NYS Department of Labor. Does anyone know how they calculate the weekly benefit amount? I'm trying to figure out if I can cover my rent and bills or if I need to start looking for something part-time right away.
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Clarissa Flair
The NYS Department of Labor calculates your weekly benefit rate using your highest quarter of earnings from your base period, which is typically the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before you file. With $600/week you're looking at roughly $2,400-2,600 monthly depending on how many weeks in the month. Your maximum weekly benefit would be around $504 but it could be less depending on your exact earnings history. You should create an account on my.ny.gov and use their benefit calculator to get a more precise estimate.
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Eve Freeman
•Thanks! I had no idea there was a calculator on the website. Do I need to wait until I'm actually laid off to set up the account or can I do it now?
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Caden Turner
you can set up the account anytime but dont file the actual claim until your last day of work or they might deny it for still being employed
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McKenzie Shade
I was making about the same when I got laid off last year. Ended up getting $487 per week which wasn't too bad. The thing that sucks is you have to do job searches every week and report them in your weekly claim. NYS Department of Labor requires 3 work search activities per week and they're pretty strict about it. Make sure you keep detailed records because they audit people randomly.
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Harmony Love
•Wait, 3 job searches per week? That seems like a lot when there aren't that many good jobs posted. What counts as a work search activity?
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McKenzie Shade
•Applying for jobs, attending job fairs, networking events, even informational interviews count. You can also do one career counseling session per week. Just document everything with dates and contact info.
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Rudy Cenizo
The NYS Department of Labor phone system is absolutely terrible if you need to talk to someone about your claim. I spent WEEKS trying to get through when my claim got stuck in adjudication. Finally used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that calls for you and gets you connected to an actual agent. There's a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Saved me so much frustration.
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Natalie Khan
•interesting, never heard of that before. did it actually work or is it just another scam?
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Rudy Cenizo
•No it's legit, they actually got me through to someone at NYS Department of Labor within a few hours. Way better than sitting on hold for 3+ hours just to get disconnected.
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Daryl Bright
Just be prepared for the whole process to take FOREVER. I filed in January and didn't get my first payment until March because they had to verify my employment. The NYS Department of Labor moves at a snail's pace and their customer service is basically non-existent.
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