What are the minimum and maximum amounts of money an individual can receive for unemployment in NY?
I'm trying to figure out how much I might qualify for if I file for unemployment benefits. My last job paid about $52,000 a year but I've heard there are caps on how much you can get. Does anyone know what the current minimum and maximum weekly benefit amounts are through NYS Department of Labor? Also wondering if there's a formula they use to calculate it based on your previous earnings. I want to make sure I understand what to expect before I submit my application.
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Ava Johnson
For 2025, the maximum weekly benefit rate in NY is $504 per week. The minimum is $104 per week. Your benefit amount is calculated based on your highest quarter of earnings in your base period, which is usually the first four of the last five completed quarters before you file. NYS Department of Labor takes 1/26th of your highest quarter earnings to determine your weekly benefit rate, but it can't exceed that $504 maximum.
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ElectricDreamer
•That's really helpful, thank you! So with my salary I'd probably hit somewhere in the middle range then. Do you know if they count bonuses or just base salary when calculating the highest quarter?
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Miguel Diaz
just went through this myself last month. they look at ALL wages reported to them including bonuses overtime everything. but you have to have worked enough quarters to qualify in the first place. i think you need earnings in at least 2 quarters of your base period and meet minimum earnings requirements
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Ava Johnson
•Exactly right. You need earnings in at least 2 quarters of your base period AND your total base period earnings must be at least 1.5 times your high quarter earnings. There's also a minimum threshold - you need at least $2,600 in your highest quarter to qualify for benefits.
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Zainab Ahmed
The whole system is so confusing honestly. I tried calling NYS Department of Labor multiple times to ask about my benefit calculation and could never get through to a real person. Kept getting transferred around and then disconnected. Finally found this service called Claimyr at claimyr.com that actually got me connected to an agent who explained everything. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Was such a relief to finally talk to someone who could walk through my specific situation.
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Connor Byrne
•How much did that cost? I've been trying to reach them for weeks about my adjudication status.
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Zainab Ahmed
•It was worth it for me since I was getting nowhere on my own. The peace of mind was huge and they connected me quickly instead of me wasting hours on hold.
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Yara Abboud
Keep in mind these are the GROSS amounts before taxes. NYS Department of Labor will withhold federal taxes if you request it, and you'll still owe state taxes on unemployment benefits. So your actual take-home will be less than whatever weekly benefit rate you qualify for.
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ElectricDreamer
•Good point about taxes! I hadn't thought about that. Is it better to have them withhold or just pay at tax time?
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Mei Zhang
•I'd recommend having them withhold federal taxes if you can afford the slightly lower weekly amount. Otherwise you might end up with a big tax bill next April that's hard to pay all at once. You can always adjust the withholding amount if needed.
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PixelPioneer
ugh the whole unemployment system is such a mess. my friend got denied even though she lost her job through no fault of her own and it took months to get it sorted out. meanwhile people who game the system seem to get benefits no problem. makes no sense
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StarStrider
•That's so frustrating! The appeals process can be really confusing too. Your friend should definitely appeal if she thinks the denial was wrong - sometimes it's just a matter of providing the right documentation. I've heard that having all your paperwork organized from the start really helps avoid delays and issues down the line.
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Lucas Bey
Based on your $52k salary, you'll likely qualify for a decent weekly benefit amount. To give you a rough estimate - if your highest quarter was around $13k (which would be typical for that salary), you'd get about $500 per week, which is close to the maximum. The NYS Department of Labor calculator on their website can give you a more precise estimate if you know your quarterly earnings. Just make sure you have all your wage statements ready when you apply - it makes the process much smoother.
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Freya Ross
•That's super helpful Lucas, thanks for breaking down the math! I'm definitely going to check out that calculator on the NYS Department of Labor website. Good tip about having all the wage statements ready - I'll make sure to gather everything before I start the application process. Sounds like I should be in decent shape benefit-wise which is reassuring.
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Kayla Morgan
One thing to keep in mind is that the benefit duration is also capped - you can typically receive benefits for up to 26 weeks in NY, though this can sometimes be extended during periods of high unemployment. Also, you'll need to be actively searching for work and document your job search activities each week to continue receiving benefits. The NYS Department of Labor requires you to make at least 3 work search contacts per week and keep records of your applications, interviews, etc. It's worth setting up a system to track this from day one since they do audit claims periodically.
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Omar Zaki
•This is really important information about the work search requirements! I hadn't realized you need to document 3 contacts per week - that's definitely something I'll need to plan for. Do you know if they're strict about what counts as a "work search contact"? Like would applying online, networking events, or reaching out to recruiters all qualify? I want to make sure I'm doing this right from the beginning to avoid any issues with my claim.
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