When is unemployment going up in New York - NYS Department of Labor benefit increase timeline?
Does anyone know when unemployment benefits are supposed to increase this year? I heard there might be adjustments coming but can't find any official info from NYS Department of Labor about timing. My weekly benefit amount has been the same since I started my claim in November and with rent going up I'm really hoping for some relief soon. Has anyone seen anything about when these increases typically happen or if there's even one planned for 2025?
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Natasha Volkova
Unemployment benefit amounts in NY are usually adjusted once a year, typically in October when the new benefit year begins. The maximum weekly benefit amount is tied to the state average weekly wage, so it can go up or down depending on economic conditions. For 2024, the max was $504 per week. NYS Department of Labor hasn't announced the 2025 rates yet, but they usually publish those around September.
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Oliver Zimmermann
•Thanks! So if I'm already on a claim that started in November 2024, would I get the new rate when it changes in October 2025 or do I have to wait until I file a new claim?
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Javier Torres
i think they adjust it automatically but dont quote me on that. my cousin got unemployment last year and i remember him saying his amount went up in the middle of his claim but that might have been something else
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Emma Davis
•Actually, benefit rates are locked in when you first establish your claim. If you're on a claim that started in November 2024, you'll keep that benefit year's rates until your benefit year ends. The new rates would only apply if you qualify for a new claim after your current one expires.
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CosmicCaptain
Been dealing with NYS Department of Labor for years and let me tell you - don't hold your breath for any meaningful increases. They calculate these amounts based on some formula that never seems to keep up with actual cost of living. Even when they do raise it, it's usually like $20-30 more per week which doesn't help much when everything else is going up faster.
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Malik Johnson
•This is so true! The whole system feels like it's stuck in 2010 while everything else costs 2025 prices.
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Isabella Ferreira
If you're having trouble reaching NYS Department of Labor to get official info about benefit increases, I had good luck using Claimyr (claimyr.com) to actually get through to a real person. They have a system that helps you connect with agents when the regular phone lines are jammed. There's a video demo at https://youtu.be/qyftW-mnTNI that shows how it works. Might be worth trying if you want to get a definitive answer about your specific situation.
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Oliver Zimmermann
•Never heard of that service before but might be worth looking into. The regular NYS Department of Labor phone number is basically useless - I've tried calling like 15 times and either get busy signals or get disconnected after waiting on hold.
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Ravi Sharma
same boat here, really hoping for an increase soon ðŸ˜
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Alana Willis
I'm in a similar situation - been on unemployment since December and really feeling the pinch with rising costs. From what I've researched, NY's benefit calculation is based on the State Average Weekly Wage (SAWW) which gets updated annually. The formula is that the maximum weekly benefit equals 50% of the SAWW. So if wages across the state went up in 2024, we should see an increase in the maximum benefit for the 2025 benefit year starting in October. But like others mentioned, if you're already on an active claim, you're locked into your current benefit year's rates until it expires. Really wish they would adjust mid-claim for cost of living but that's not how the system works unfortunately.
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