What is the minimum unemployment benefit amount in NYS Department of Labor system?
I'm trying to figure out what the minimum weekly benefit amount is for unemployment in NY. I've been working part-time for the past year making pretty low wages and I'm worried I won't qualify for much if I lose my job. Does anyone know what the lowest weekly payment is that NYS Department of Labor will approve? I've looked all over their website but can't find a clear answer about the minimum benefit calculation.
11 comments
Join the conversation
Tyrone Hill
The minimum weekly benefit rate in New York is $104 per week as of 2025. This is set by state law and applies regardless of your previous earnings, as long as you meet the minimum earnings requirements to qualify for benefits in the first place. You need to have earned at least $2,600 in your base period to be eligible for any unemployment benefits.
0 coins
Anderson Prospero
•Thank you! That's actually higher than I expected. Do you know how they calculate if I qualify for more than the minimum?
0 coins
Toot-n-Mighty
Yeah $104 is the floor amount but most people get more than that. Your actual benefit is calculated based on your highest quarter of earnings in your base period. They take that amount, divide by 26, and that becomes your weekly benefit rate up to the maximum of $504 per week. So if you made more than $2,704 in your highest earning quarter, you'll get more than the minimum.
0 coins
Anderson Prospero
•That makes sense. I think my highest quarter was around $4,200 so that should put me above the minimum at least.
0 coins
Lena Kowalski
just fyi the minimum used to be like $64 a few years ago so they did raise it. also make sure you have all your wage info ready when you file because if there's missing wages it can mess up your calculation
0 coins
DeShawn Washington
If you're having trouble getting through to NYS Department of Labor to verify your benefit amount or check your wage history, I had success using a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com). They help you get connected to actual agents instead of waiting on hold forever. There's a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Really saved me time when I needed to resolve a wage discrepancy that was affecting my benefit calculation.
0 coins
Anderson Prospero
•Interesting, I might need that if I run into issues. The NYS Department of Labor phone system is notoriously difficult to navigate.
0 coins
Mei-Ling Chen
The whole benefit calculation system is so confusing! I wish they would just make it simpler. Like why can't they just tell you upfront what you'll get instead of making you go through this whole base period calculation thing?
0 coins
Tyrone Hill
•The base period calculation ensures that benefits are tied to actual work history and earnings. It's designed to replace a portion of your lost wages, so higher earners get more benefits up to the cap. The system is actually pretty fair once you understand how it works.
0 coins
Yuki Tanaka
One thing to keep in mind is that even if you qualify for the minimum $104/week, you might also be eligible for additional federal programs depending on your situation. If you have dependents, you could get an extra allowance on top of your base benefit. Also, part-time workers sometimes qualify for partial benefits if they're still working reduced hours, which can help bridge the gap. The key is making sure you report all your wages accurately when you file - even small jobs or gig work counts toward your base period earnings.
0 coins
Malik Jackson
•Thanks for mentioning the dependent allowance - I didn't know about that! I have one child so that could help. Do you know how much extra that adds to the weekly benefit? Also, when you mention partial benefits for part-time workers, does that mean if I get reduced hours instead of being laid off completely, I could still get some unemployment to make up the difference?
0 coins