Suddenly got NY unemployment benefits reduced by $138 - need help understanding why

probly hit ur benefit year end. they recalculate after 52 weeks and sometimes the amount changes. check ur benefit year on ur account page

This happened to me last month. There are several possible reasons for a sudden benefit reduction: 1. Did you report higher part-time earnings recently? Even if you think you reported the same, double-check your most recent certification. 2. Sometimes NYSDOL receives employer wage information that conflicts with what you reported, triggering an automatic adjustment. 3. If you're approaching your Maximum Benefit Entitlement (check this on your payment history page), they sometimes reduce weekly payments to extend your claim period. 4. There could be an offset for other debts (child support, past overpayments, etc). I recommend checking your payment history and looking for any notices in your online message center. You should also see if there's a "determination" letter explaining the change.

There's a specific threshold where they reduce benefits based on part-time earnings. If you earn more than 50% of your weekly benefit rate, they start reducing your benefits dollar-for-dollar above that threshold. So even a small increase in earnings can cause a significant drop. Also, tax withholding changes can affect your deposit amount. Did you recently change your withholding preferences?

the SAME EXACT THING happened to me last month!!! my benefit dropped by $112 with NO WARNING. I tried calling for 3 days straight and couldn't get through. When I finally did, they said there was a "recalculation" because of some employer reported different quarterly earnings. THEY NEVER TOLD ME THIS WAS HAPPENING!! so frustrating!!!

I spent nearly 15 years working with the unemployment system, and this sounds like what happens when there's a Base Period recalculation. Even though you've only been on unemployment for 4 months, if your claim crosses from one quarter to another, they sometimes recalculate your benefit amount based on the most recent employer wage reporting. You need to speak with an actual claims specialist who can see exactly what triggered the change. The problem is getting through to someone who actually knows what they're talking about. After struggling to get through for days, I used Claimyr (claimyr.com) to connect with a rep quickly. They have a good demo video of how it works: https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE Once you get through, specifically ask for a "detailed explanation of the benefit rate recalculation" and request a new Monetary Determination letter. Sometimes they can reverse it if there was an error in the employer reporting.

when this happened to my cousin last year she just gave up trying to figure it out and got a second part time job. sometimes the effort to fight the system takes more energy than just finding ways to make up the difference. not saying thats right just saying sometimes its the path of least resistance

Just a heads up - if this is indeed a recalculation based on quarterly wages, you should have received a new Monetary Determination notice. These are sometimes only sent by mail, not electronically. Have you checked your physical mail recently? Also, while waiting to get through to a representative, make sure you continue certifying each week exactly as you have been, even with the reduced amount. If there was an error and you're owed back pay, they'll only pay for weeks you properly certified.

Omg I'd be freaking out too!!! $138 less each week is HUGE! That's like a whole grocery bill or utility payment gone! I'm so scared this will happen to me too - I've been on UI since January and depend on every penny. Please update us when you find out what happened!!

After reading through the thread, I'm almost certain this is a Base Period recalculation. The timing (beginning of Q3) matches exactly. Here's what likely happened: 1. Your original benefit calculation was based on your highest earning quarters in the base period (the year before you applied) 2. Now that we've entered a new quarter (Q3 2025), the system automatically recalculated using the most recent quarters 3. If your earnings were lower in some of these newer quarters, your benefit amount would decrease This is actually standard procedure for NYSDOL but they do a terrible job explaining it to claimants. You can request a review if you believe the calculation is incorrect, but you need to speak with a claims specialist who can access your wage records across all quarters.

Update us when you get this resolved! Were you able to reach someone at NYSDOL? The base period recalculation explanation sounds most likely, but it's important to confirm. Sometimes there can be multiple issues affecting your benefit amount simultaneously.