New York State raised the weekly maximum unemployment insurance benefit rate to $869 on Monday, the first state raise in the weekly rate since 2019. Before Monday, the maximum rate was $504.
NYS Commissioner of Labor Roberta Reardon and Gov. Kathy Hochul ushered in the change Wednesday morning. Though the new rate went into effect Monday, New Yorkers can expect to see the change reflected in unemployment checks starting next week. The increase in rate of over 72% is the largest increase of the unemployment cap in state history.
