What is unemployment at today - confused about NYS Department of Labor current rates and eligibility
I'm trying to figure out what unemployment benefits look like right now in 2025. I lost my job at a retail store last month and I'm not sure if I should even bother applying. What are the current weekly benefit amounts? I was making about $18/hour working part-time, maybe 28-30 hours a week. Is there a minimum you have to have worked to qualify? Also heard something about having to do job searches every week - is that still a thing? Really confused about the whole process and don't want to waste time if I won't qualify anyway.
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Julia Hall
The current maximum weekly benefit amount in NY is $504 as of 2025, but your actual amount depends on your earnings history. Since you were part-time, your benefit will be calculated based on your highest quarter of earnings in your base period (usually the first 4 of the last 5 completed quarters). You need to have worked in at least 2 quarters and earned a minimum amount to qualify. Yes, you absolutely have to complete 3 job search activities per week and log them in the NYS Department of Labor system.
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Evelyn Rivera
•Thanks! So if I made around $2,000 per quarter working part-time, would that be enough to qualify? And what counts as job search activities?
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Arjun Patel
You should definitely apply even if you're not sure about qualifying. The NYS Department of Labor will determine your eligibility during the application process. For job search requirements, you need 3 activities per week which can include applying for jobs, attending job fairs, networking events, or skills training. Make sure to keep detailed records because they audit these regularly.
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Jade Lopez
•this is good advice. I thought I wouldn't qualify either but ended up getting $220/week which helped a lot
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Tony Brooks
ugh the job search requirement is such a pain!! I spend more time logging activities than actually looking for work. But yeah you have to do it or they'll cut you off. The system is really picky about how you enter everything too
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Julia Hall
•I understand the frustration, but the job search requirement is there to help people get back to work faster. The key is to make genuine efforts and document them properly in your weekly claims.
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Ella rollingthunder87
I had trouble reaching anyone at NYS Department of Labor when I had questions about my eligibility calculation. Kept getting busy signals and disconnected calls. Finally used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me through to an actual agent who explained everything. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Really helped me understand my benefit amount and requirements.
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Evelyn Rivera
•That sounds helpful - did they charge you for connecting to NYS Department of Labor? I'm worried about scam services.
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Ella rollingthunder87
•It's a legitimate service, not a scam. They help you get through the phone queues to speak with actual NYS Department of Labor representatives. Much better than spending hours trying to call yourself.
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Yara Campbell
Just apply online through my.ny.gov and see what happens. Worst case they say no. The whole process is pretty straightforward once you get started.
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