The maximum weekly unemployment benefit in New York had not changed since 2019, when it was set at $504 per week. As of October 2025, New York State has raised the maximum weekly unemployment benefit from $504 to $869, a 72% increase. This increase marks the first adjustment to the benefit amount in six years. The change updates benefit levels to reflect current state policies and economic conditions, and it affects both claimants and employers. The adjustment follows several years with the prior maximum unchanged and reflects the state’s broader approach to managing unemployment insurance.
The increase, effective the week of October 13, 2025, follows New York’s full repayment of a $7 billion federal loan borrowed during the pandemic to maintain unemployment payments. Repayment restored solvency to the Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund, removed annual surcharges for employers, and resulted in lower business contribution rates. As a result, contribution rates for businesses are lower, with estimates indicating potential savings of $100 per employee in 2026 and $250 in 2027.
The NY Department of Labor automatically recalculates benefit amounts for all eligible claimants based on prior earnings. The minimum weekly benefit remains unchanged. More than half of all unemployed New Yorkers are receiving higher payments, with 27% at the new maximum and 28% receiving partial increases.
When compared with neighboring states, New York’s new maximum weekly benefit of $869 exceeds Connecticut’s $703, placing New York among states with higher unemployment benefit caps in the region.