NYS Department of Labor unemployment checks - how much and when do they arrive?
I just got approved for unemployment benefits after being laid off from my job at a logistics company. My claim went through adjudication for about 2 weeks but finally got cleared. Now I'm wondering about the actual unemployment checks - how much will I get and when should I expect them to arrive? I made about $52,000 last year and worked there for 3 years. The NYS Department of Labor website shows my weekly benefit amount as $504 but I'm not sure if that's before or after taxes. Also, do the checks come in the mail or is everything direct deposit now? I set up my account on my.ny.gov but it's still confusing to navigate.
9 comments


Amina Diallo
Your weekly benefit amount of $504 is before taxes. NYS Department of Labor will withhold federal taxes (10%) and state taxes (3.5%) if you elected that during your initial claim filing. So your actual payment would be around $436 per week. Payments are typically issued on Tuesday or Wednesday after you file your weekly claim certification on Sunday. Most people get direct deposit now - it's faster than waiting for checks in the mail.
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CosmicCowboy
•Thanks! I think I did elect tax withholding but can't remember for sure. Is there a way to check that in my account?
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Oliver Schulz
been getting unemployment checks for 6 weeks now, they usually hit my bank account on wednesday if i file my weekly claim on sunday night. sometimes tuesday if there's no delays. the amount stays the same each week unless you work part time hours that week
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Natasha Orlova
•You can change your tax withholding elections anytime by logging into your my.ny.gov account and going to the payment preferences section. Just make sure you keep track for tax season next year if you don't withhold.
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Javier Cruz
Wait, I'm so confused about this whole process! I've been trying to reach someone at NYS Department of Labor for weeks because my weekly claims keep getting stuck and I never know if I'm going to get paid. The phone lines are always busy and when I do get through, they hang up on me. How is everyone else managing to get their unemployment checks without problems?
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Emma Wilson
•I had similar issues reaching NYS Department of Labor by phone until someone mentioned claimyr.com to me. They basically call for you and get you connected to an actual agent. I was skeptical at first but tried it after weeks of frustration. There's a demo video at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Finally got my stuck claims resolved after using their service.
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Malik Thomas
The whole NYS Department of Labor system is a joke! They make it so complicated just to get YOUR OWN MONEY that you paid into the system. Half the time their website crashes when you're trying to file your weekly claim and then they act like it's your fault when payments get delayed.
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NeonNebula
•yeah tell me about it, last week their site was down for maintenance right when i needed to file my claim
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Amina Diallo
Just to clarify for everyone - unemployment checks are really unemployment payments now since most people use direct deposit. The payment amount is based on your earnings history over the past 18 months, with a maximum weekly benefit of $504 in NY for 2025. You can receive these payments for up to 26 weeks as long as you continue to meet the job search requirements and file your weekly claims on time.
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