New York Unemployment Insurance

New York Unemployment Insurance provides temporary financial assistance to workers who become unemployed through no fault of their own.

Each state sets its own guidelines for eligibility for UI benefits, but you usually qualify if you:

1. have lost a job through no fault of your own;
2. are unemployed or partially unemployed for reasons permissible under federal law;
3. are “able to work, available to work, and actively seeking work;” and
4. have earned at least a certain amount of money during a “base period” prior to becoming unemployed. In most states, this is usually the first 4 out of the last 5 completed calendar quarters prior to the time that your claim is filed.

To qualify for unemployment benefits, you must have earned a minimum amount of wages in a recent ‘base period’ and must have, prior to filing a claim,

1. wages in at least two quarters of the base period, AND
2. earned at least $3,400 in the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters, AND
3. total base-period wages of at least 1.5 times the earnings in the highest quarter.

For example, if your highest-paid quarter was $4,000, your total base-period wages must be at least $6,000 ($4,000 × 1.5) to qualify.

How much unemployment benefits can I get in New York?

According to the New York State Department of Labor, the maximum weekly benefit was $504 from 2019 until October 2025, when it was raised to $869 per week, due to inflation and rising costs.¹

Depending on how much you have earned in your base period, you may receive up to $869 per week for a maximum of 26 weeks of unemployment benefits per year.

What is the maximum number of weeks for unemployment in New York?

New York pays up to 26 weeks of benefits in a 52-week period. If you find work and lose it again, any weeks you have not used may still be available as long as your claim remains open.

How do I file for unemployment in NY online?

To file a claim, use your NY.gov ID to sign in to your online account with the Department of Labor or create a new account  if you don’t already have one.