When does unemployment increase in NY - trying to understand benefit amount changes
I've been collecting unemployment for about 8 weeks now and I keep hearing people talk about when unemployment increases but I have no idea what they mean. My weekly benefit amount has stayed the same at $504 since I started filing. Is there supposed to be some kind of automatic increase that happens? I'm confused because some people at my old job said their benefits went up after a certain period but nobody could explain exactly when or how much. Does NYS Department of Labor automatically raise your weekly benefit amount at some point during your claim year? I really need to understand this because I'm barely making ends meet as it is.
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Levi Parker
Your weekly benefit amount doesn't automatically increase during your benefit year. It's calculated based on your base period wages when you first file and stays the same throughout your claim year unless there's a policy change or you qualify for dependency allowances. The confusion might be coming from people talking about federal extensions or supplemental payments that happened during COVID, but those programs ended years ago.
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Savannah Weiner
•So there's really no way my $504 weekly amount will go up? That's disappointing. I was really hoping there was some kind of cost of living adjustment or something.
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Libby Hassan
yeah mine never went up either, been on UI for 6 months now and still getting the same amount every week. maybe they were talking about partial benefits changing if you start working part time?
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Hunter Hampton
The only time your benefit amount changes is if you earn wages while collecting (which reduces your weekly payment) or if you qualify for dependency allowances for children under 18. NYS Department of Labor also occasionally adjusts the maximum benefit amounts for new claims, but that doesn't affect existing claims. If you're having trouble reaching agents to ask about dependency allowances, I had good luck using claimyr.com - they helped me get through to someone at NYS Department of Labor when I couldn't get past the busy signals. There's a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works.
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Savannah Weiner
•I don't have any kids so dependency allowances won't help me. But thanks for the claimyr info, I've been trying to call for weeks about another issue with my claim.
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Sofia Peña
wait I thought there were supposed to be annual increases or something? this whole system is so confusing and the NYS Department of Labor website doesn't explain anything clearly
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Levi Parker
•No annual increases for existing claims. The maximum benefit amounts do get adjusted yearly for NEW claims, but if you're already collecting, your amount is locked in for your benefit year.
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Aaron Boston
I've been through this system multiple times over the years and your benefit calculation is set when you file your initial claim. The only increases people might be thinking of are when NYS Department of Labor raises the maximum weekly benefit amount for the state, but that only applies to people filing new claims after the change takes effect. Your $504 is what you'll get each week (assuming you meet all requirements) until your benefit year ends.
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Sophia Carter
THIS IS SO FRUSTRATING!!! How are we supposed to survive on the same amount for an entire year when everything keeps getting more expensive? The rent doesn't stay the same, groceries don't stay the same, but unemployment benefits do??? Makes no sense!!!
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Libby Hassan
•I feel you on this, everything costs more but our benefits stay flat. At least we're getting something though.
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PixelPioneer
•I totally understand the frustration @Sophia Carter. It really is a broken system when cost of living keeps rising but unemployment benefits stay frozen. Have you looked into any local food banks or assistance programs to help stretch your budget? I know it's not a solution to the bigger problem but every little bit helps when you're trying to make ends meet on a fixed unemployment amount.
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Ryder Greene
I'm new to this community and this thread has been incredibly eye-opening. I just started my unemployment claim two weeks ago and honestly had no idea that the weekly benefit amount stays fixed for the entire benefit year. Coming from a job where we got annual cost-of-living adjustments, I just assumed unemployment would work similarly. It's really disappointing to learn that there's no mechanism to account for inflation, especially when you're looking at potentially being on benefits for months. Thank you all for sharing your experiences and the practical advice about supplemental programs like SNAP and local food banks. It's clear I need to adjust my expectations and start budgeting based on this fixed amount rather than hoping for increases that will never come. Does anyone know if there are good resources for finding all the local assistance programs in one place, or is it mostly a matter of researching each organization individually?
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Natasha Romanova
•Welcome to the community @Ryder Greene! For finding local assistance programs, I'd recommend starting with 211.org or calling 2-1-1 - it's a comprehensive directory of local resources including food assistance, utility help, housing programs, and more. You can search by zip code to find everything available in your area. Your county's social services website usually has a good list too. Also check if your local United Way has a resource guide - they often compile all the assistance programs into one easy-to-read document. I know it's a lot to navigate when you're already dealing with the stress of unemployment, but having that safety net of resources really does help when living on that fixed benefit amount. Good luck with your claim and job search!
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