What is the current rate of unemployment benefits in NYS - weekly amounts for 2025?
I'm trying to figure out what the weekly unemployment benefit amounts are in New York for 2025. I just lost my job at a restaurant in Buffalo and need to know what I can expect to receive from NYS Department of Labor. I made about $42,000 last year working full time. Does anyone know what the current weekly benefit rate is? I heard it changed from last year but can't find clear info on the my.ny.gov website.
9 comments
Join the conversation
Zara Malik
The maximum weekly benefit amount in NY for 2025 is $504 per week. Your actual amount depends on your earnings during your base period (usually the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before you file). NYS Department of Labor calculates it as roughly 50% of your average weekly wage up to that maximum. With your income level, you'd probably get somewhere around $350-400 per week but you'll need to file your claim to get the exact amount.
0 coins
Sean Kelly
•Thanks! That's helpful. Do you know if that includes the federal taxes or is that before taxes?
0 coins
Luca Greco
just filed my claim last month and the whole process was confusing. the weekly amount they gave me was way less than i expected even though i worked for 3 years straight before getting laid off. make sure you have all your employer info ready when you apply
0 coins
Nia Thompson
•The benefit calculation can be tricky. NYS Department of Labor looks at your highest earning quarter during the base period and uses that to determine your weekly benefit rate. If you had irregular hours or seasonal work, it might affect the calculation. You can always call them to ask for a breakdown of how they calculated your amount.
0 coins
Mateo Rodriguez
I've been trying to get through to NYS Department of Labor for weeks to ask about my benefit rate calculation and keep getting hung up on or stuck in endless hold queues. It's so frustrating when you just need a simple answer about your claim. I ended up using this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that actually got me connected to a real person at NYS Department of Labor within like 20 minutes. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Totally worth it when you're dealing with urgent benefit questions.
0 coins
Aisha Hussain
•Never heard of that service but honestly anything has to be better than sitting on hold for hours just to get disconnected. Did they charge you a lot?
0 coins
Mateo Rodriguez
•They don't publish their rates but it was reasonable considering I got actual help instead of wasting my whole day calling. The agent was able to explain exactly how my benefit rate was calculated and why it was lower than I expected.
0 coins
GalacticGladiator
The whole unemployment system in this state is a joke honestly. They make it so hard to get basic information and the website is constantly down when you need to file your weekly claim. Then they wonder why people get frustrated with the process.
0 coins
Ethan Brown
•I feel you on that. But at least the benefit amounts are decent compared to some other places. Just wish the system worked better for actually getting the money.
0 coins