New York increased the maximum weekly unemployment insurance (UI) for unemployed workers across the state this week
Gov. Kathy Hochul said the state invested nearly $7 billion to pay off the federal UI Trust Fund loan and bring the fund to solvency — and increase the maximum weekly benefit from $504 to $869.
The weekly benefit payment amount is determined by how much a worker earned during a specific base period. New Yorkers can use this tool to estimate their weekly UI benefit amount.
The increase in UI benefits comes as the GOP federal shutdown impacts 115,000 federal employees in New York, leaving them without paychecks.
“Donald Trump and Washington Republicans’ agenda is a direct attack on hardworking New Yorkers, with reckless trade wars causing skyrocketing prices, and now their decision to shut down the federal government has left thousands of New Yorkers unemployed and unsupported,” Hochul said. “It’s a stark contrast to everything we’re doing here in New York. With the weekly maximum benefits increasing starting this month, we are able to uplift unemployed New Yorkers, including those that Republicans in Washington have failed, while cutting costs to businesses.”
By paying off the debt, the state is also putting money back in the pockets of business owners, whose contribution rates had continued to climb while the debt was paid down.
Employers will no longer receive annual Interest Assessment Surcharge (IAS) bills and are projected to save an average of $100 per employee in 2026 and $250 in 2027. The taxable wage base will also increase in 2026, strengthening the trust fund over time and helping to maintain affordable tax rates for New York’s employers in the long term.