What is the average unemployment check amount in NY - NYS Department of Labor benefits
I'm trying to figure out what I can expect for my weekly unemployment benefits if I get approved. I worked in retail management for the past two years making about $52,000 annually before getting laid off last month. Does anyone know what the average unemployment check amount is through NYS Department of Labor? I've heard it's based on your previous wages but I can't find clear information about the actual dollar amounts people are getting. My friend in another state gets like $400 a week but I don't know if NY is similar. Really need to budget for rent and bills while I'm job searching.
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Leo Simmons
NYS Department of Labor calculates your weekly benefit rate using your highest quarter earnings from the base period. The maximum weekly benefit in 2025 is $504, but most people get between $200-400 depending on their wages. For your salary range, you'd probably qualify for around $350-450 per week. You can get an estimate by logging into your my.ny.gov account and using the benefit calculator before filing your claim.
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Lilly Curtis
•Thanks! That's actually higher than I expected. Do you know if there are any deductions taken out of the weekly payments?
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Lindsey Fry
i think the average is like 300 something but it really depends on how much you made. when i was on unemployment last year i got $285 a week and i was making around 35k at my job
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Saleem Vaziri
The formula is roughly 50% of your average weekly wage up to the maximum. So if you were making $1000/week, you'd get $500 but capped at the $504 max. If you made $600/week, you'd get about $300. NYS Department of Labor uses your earnings from the first four of the last five completed quarters to calculate this. You'll see the exact amount when you file your initial claim.
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Kayla Morgan
•Wait I'm confused about the quarters thing. Does that mean if I just started a new job 3 months ago they won't count those earnings? I made way more at my new job than my old one.
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Saleem Vaziri
•That's exactly right - your most recent quarter usually isn't included in the base period calculation. If your new job paid significantly more, you might want to wait a bit before filing or see if you qualify for an alternate base period that includes more recent earnings.
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James Maki
I've been trying to get through to NYS Department of Labor for weeks to ask about my benefit amount calculation because the online estimate seems wrong. Their phone lines are impossible! Has anyone found a way to actually talk to someone there? I keep getting disconnected after waiting on hold for 2 hours.
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Jasmine Hancock
•I had the same problem until someone told me about claimyr.com - it's a service that calls NYS Department of Labor for you and gets you connected to an actual agent. I was skeptical but it worked perfectly. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows exactly how it works. Saved me hours of frustration trying to get through myself.
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James Maki
•Really? That sounds too good to be true but I'm desperate at this point. I'll check out that video demo.
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Cole Roush
Just remember the weekly amount is before taxes if you choose to have them withheld. You can elect 10% federal tax withholding when you file your weekly claims. Also don't forget you have to do job search activities and report any work/earnings when you certify each week.
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Lindsey Fry
The whole system is so confusing honestly. I wish they would just tell you upfront what you're gonna get instead of all these calculations and base periods and stuff.
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Leo Simmons
•I agree it's complicated, but the calculation method is designed to be fair based on your actual work history. Once you get your first payment, you'll know exactly what to expect each week as long as you're eligible.
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