Which 5 quarters does NY unemployment look at for base period calculation?

New York unemployment looks at what's called your "base period" to calculate benefits. There are actually two possible methods: 1) Standard Base Period: The first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters before you filed your claim. So they skip the most recent completed quarter. 2) Alternate Base Period: The 4 most recent completed calendar quarters before you filed. The NYSDOL will automatically use whichever calculation gives you the higher benefit rate. If you just started working within the past 18 months, the Alternate Base Period might be better for you. So for example, if you file in May 2025, your Standard Base Period would be January 2024 through December 2024 (skipping January-March 2025). Your Alternate Base Period would be April 2024 through March 2025.

they look at ur last 5 quarters but drop the most recent one. dont know why but thats how they do it. they want to see if u made at least $2,600 in one of those quarters to qualify

The reason NY Unemployment looks at 5 quarters but only uses 4 is to give you the most favorable calculation. There are two methods: 1. Standard Base Period: Uses the first 4 of the last 5 completed calendar quarters before you filed 2. Alternate Base Period: Uses the 4 most recent completed calendar quarters To give you a concrete example, if you file today (April 2025): - The last completed quarter was January-March 2025 - Standard Base Period would use: January 2024 through December 2024 - Alternate Base Period would use: April 2024 through March 2025 They look at BOTH calculations and give you whichever results in the higher weekly benefit rate. For many people who had higher earnings recently, the Alternate Base Period works better. You need to have earned at least $2,900 in one of your base period quarters to qualify in 2025, and have some work in at least two quarters.

ok but what counts as a 'quarter'? is that jan-mar, apr-jun, etc or is it based on when you file?

I just went through this nightmare process last month!!! The quarters thing is SO confusing and their website explains it terribly! I kept trying to call to ask questions but could NOT get through to a real person for DAYS. I was literally calling 50+ times a day and just getting disconnected or stuck on hold forever. I finally found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an actual unemployment rep in about 20 minutes. They have this system that basically calls for you and holds your place in line, then calls you when they reach an agent. The rep explained my base period calculation and fixed an issue with my claim that would have caused major delays. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Rdqa1gKtxuE SO much better than trying to get through on your own. I wish I'd known about it sooner instead of wasting days trying to call myself!

Wait i thought they DONT look at your most recent quarter? Im confused now

Don't they also have some special rule for people who don't qualify under either base period? I think there's something called an extended base period if you were out on disability or something similar during the regular base period. Just mentioning in case that applies to the OP or someone else reading.

Thanks everyone for the helpful information. I understand the quarters system much better now. One last question - how exactly do they calculate the weekly benefit amount once they decide which 4 quarters to use?

Just wanted to add that you can actually see which base period they used for your calculation by logging into your NY.gov account after you file your claim. They'll show you the specific quarters and earnings they used in your determination letter. Also, if you worked for multiple employers during your base period (which sounds like your situation), make sure all your employers are listed correctly when you file. Sometimes wages from smaller employers or short-term jobs don't show up immediately in their system, and you might need to provide pay stubs or W-2s to get credit for all your earnings. The online application will walk you through entering your employment history, but double-check everything because missing wages could mean a lower benefit calculation!

One thing I learned when I filed for unemployment in NY last year is that it's worth checking your earnings history on the NY.gov website even before you file your claim. You can access your quarterly wage reports under "View Benefit Year Earnings" to see exactly what wages each employer reported for each quarter. This helped me catch an error where one of my previous employers had reported my wages to the wrong quarter, which would have affected my base period calculation. I was able to contact the employer to get it corrected before filing, which saved me weeks of back-and-forth with the unemployment office. Also, if you're unsure about your benefit amount, NY has an online benefit calculator tool that can give you an estimate based on your earnings. It's not perfect but gives you a ballpark figure so you're not going in completely blind. Just search for "NY unemployment benefit calculator" on the DOL website.

I just want to say thank you to everyone who contributed to this thread! As someone who's never filed for unemployment before, the base period calculation seemed really confusing at first, but all these explanations have made it so much clearer. The key takeaways I'm getting are: - NY looks at 5 quarters but only uses 4 for the calculation - They automatically calculate both Standard Base Period (skips most recent quarter) AND Alternate Base Period (includes most recent quarter) - They give you whichever calculation results in a higher weekly benefit - Make sure to list ALL employers from the past 18 months when filing - Check your wage history on NY.gov before filing to catch any errors I feel much more confident about filing my claim now. It's also good to know about that Claimyr service if I need help getting through to speak with someone. Really appreciate this community for breaking down such a complex topic in plain English!