What's the average unemployment check amount in NY - trying to budget
I'm about to file for unemployment for the first time and trying to figure out what I can expect financially. I was making $52,000 annually at my last job but got laid off last week. Does anyone know what the average unemployment check amount is in New York? I've heard it varies but I need to plan my budget around whatever I'll be getting. The NYS Department of Labor website has calculators but they're confusing and I want to hear from real people what they actually received.
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Zainab Ahmed
The maximum weekly benefit rate in NY for 2025 is $504, but most people don't get the max. Your benefit amount is calculated based on your highest quarter of earnings in your base period. Generally it's about 50% of your average weekly wage up to that maximum. So if you were making $52k annually, that's about $1000 per week, so you'd likely get around $500 weekly which is close to the max.
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Miguel Diaz
•Thanks! That's actually higher than I expected. Do you know how long it takes to get approved and start receiving payments?
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Connor Gallagher
I just got approved last month and I'm getting $440 per week. I was making about $48k before I got laid off. The whole process took about 3 weeks from filing to getting my first payment. Make sure you file your weekly claims on time every week or you won't get paid for those weeks.
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AstroAlpha
•Did you have any issues with adjudication? I filed 2 weeks ago and it's still showing pending with no explanation.
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Yara Khoury
honestly the amount varies so much person to person. my friend gets like $200 something and another friend gets over 400. depends on what you made before and how long you worked. the nys department of labor has this formula but its confusing as hell
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Keisha Taylor
If you're having trouble getting through to NYS Department of Labor to check on your claim status or get specific benefit amount info, I used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me reach an actual agent. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI showing how it works. Really saved me hours of trying to call and getting busy signals.
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Miguel Diaz
•How much does that cost? I'm already worried about money and don't want to pay for something if I don't have to.
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Keisha Taylor
•It's worth checking out their site for details, but honestly when you're stuck in adjudication limbo or need answers about your benefit amount, sometimes you need to talk to a real person and this was the only way I could actually get through.
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Paolo Longo
The 'average' is misleading because it depends entirely on your work history. Someone who worked minimum wage jobs will get way less than someone who had a professional salary. Your benefit rate is based on the wages you earned during your base period, not some arbitrary average. Check your online account on my.ny.gov to see your actual calculated benefit amount once you file.
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Amara Okafor
Just went through this myself a few months ago. With your $52k salary, you'll likely qualify for close to the maximum weekly benefit which is around $504. The calculation is roughly 50% of your average weekly wage during your highest earning quarter in the base period. One thing to keep in mind - there's usually a one week waiting period before you start receiving benefits, so plan for that gap. Also make sure you have all your employer information ready when you file online, it speeds up the process significantly. The whole approval took about 2-3 weeks for me once I submitted everything correctly.
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