What do unemployment benefits pay in NYS - need to understand my weekly amount
I just got approved for unemployment after being laid off from my warehouse job last month. The NYS Department of Labor sent me a determination letter but I'm confused about what my weekly benefit amount actually covers. I was making $18.50/hour working about 35-40 hours per week. My letter says my weekly benefit rate is $267 but I don't understand how they calculated this or what expenses this is supposed to cover. Is this amount supposed to replace my full salary? Can someone explain what unemployment benefits are actually meant to pay for and if there are any restrictions on how I can use the money?
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Keisha Robinson
Unemployment benefits are designed to partially replace your lost wages, typically around 50% of your previous earnings up to the maximum weekly benefit amount. In NY, the maximum is currently $504 per week. Your $267 sounds about right based on your previous wages. The money is meant to help cover basic living expenses while you search for work - rent, groceries, utilities, etc. There are no restrictions on how you spend it, but you do need to report any other income you receive.
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Yara Nassar
•Thanks that makes sense. So it's not meant to fully replace my income then? $267 is way less than what I was bringing home each week.
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GalaxyGuardian
The benefit calculation is based on your highest earning quarter in your base period. NYS Department of Labor looks at your wages from about 15-18 months ago, not your most recent work. That might be why your amount seems lower than expected. You can find the exact calculation method on the my.ny.gov website under benefit rate information.
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Yara Nassar
•Oh wow I had no idea they looked that far back! I was making less money 18 months ago at my previous job. That explains a lot.
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Paolo Ricci
been on unemployment twice and yeah it never covers everything you need. you gotta budget really tight and maybe pick up some part time work if you can find it. just remember to report any earnings when you file your weekly claim or they'll hit you with an overpayment later
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Amina Toure
I remember when I first got unemployment I thought it would be like my regular paycheck! Reality hit pretty hard when I realized it was only about half. The benefits are really just meant to keep you afloat while job searching, not maintain your previous lifestyle. Make sure you're actively looking for work because they do require job search activities.
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Oliver Zimmermann
•Wait, what kind of job search activities? I've been applying to jobs but nobody told me about specific requirements.
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Keisha Robinson
•You need to make at least 3 job contacts per week and keep a record of your search activities. Check your my.ny.gov account for the specific requirements - they can vary based on your situation.
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Natasha Volkova
If you're having trouble reaching NYS Department of Labor agents to get more details about your benefit calculation, I used a service called Claimyr that helped me get through. You can check them out at claimyr.com - they have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that explains how it works. I was stuck trying to understand my benefit rate for weeks before using them to actually talk to someone.
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Yara Nassar
•How much does something like that cost? Money's already tight with the reduced income.
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Natasha Volkova
•It's worth checking out their site for the details. For me it was worth it to finally get answers instead of being stuck in phone queue hell.
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