New York Unemployment Base Period Wages

Your weekly benefit amount in New York depends on the wages paid to you during a specific four-quarter window called the base period. If those wages are recorded wrong — or missing altogether — you could get a lower weekly rate than you deserve, or get denied outright.

How the Base Period Works

NYSDOL looks at a specific set of four calendar quarters to decide whether you earned enough to qualify and how much you get paid each week. Calendar quarters are January–March, April–June, July–September, and October–December.

The basic base period uses the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before the quarter you file in. If that doesn't qualify you — or if a more recent quarter would give you a higher rate — NYSDOL also checks the alternate base period, which uses the last four completed quarters.

For example, if you file in Q4 2026 (October–December), your basic base period is Q3 2025 through Q2 2026, and the alternate base period is Q4 2025 through Q3 2026. Wages paid in the actual quarter you file can't count in either calculation.

The Three Qualification Tests for 2026

To establish a valid claim, you must pass all three:

1. Multi-quarter requirement — You need covered wages in at least two of your four base period quarters.
2. High quarter floor — Your highest-earning quarter must be at least $3,500 (up from $3,400 in 2025).
3. Total earnings multiplier — Your total base period wages must equal at least 1.5 times your high quarter earnings. If your high quarter reaches $19,118 or more, the remaining three quarters need at least $9,559 combined.

Meeting all three establishes monetary eligibility, but it doesn't guarantee benefits — separation circumstances and non-monetary issues are evaluated separately.

Weekly Benefit Rate Calculation

NYSDOL uses different formulas depending on how many quarters you had earnings in:

Four quarters of base period earnings:

• High quarter over $3,575: divide by 26, with a floor of $143
• High quarter at $3,575 or below: divide by 25

Two or three quarters of earnings:

• High quarter over $4,000: average the two highest quarters, divide by 26, floor of $143
• High quarter $3,576–$4,000: divide high quarter by 26, floor of $143
• High quarter at $3,575 or below: divide by 25

The maximum weekly rate is $869 as of October 2025 (the most recent statutory update). The minimum is $140 as of January 2026.

When Your Monetary Determination Arrives

After you file, NYSDOL sends a monetary determination statement showing which wages they have on record and your calculated weekly rate. Review it carefully. If anything looks wrong, you have options:

• Form TC403HR (Request for Reconsideration) — Use this within 30 calendar days from the date it was mailed if wages are missing or misreported. Attach W-2s, 1099s, or pay stubs as proof.
• Form TC403HA (Alternate Base Period) — Request this within 10 calendar days from the date the Monetary Determination was mailed if the alternate base period gives you a higher rate. This deadline is strict.
• Form LO403.5 (Weeks-Based Rate) — If you worked 20 or more weeks in the base period and a weekly-average calculation would raise your rate by at least $5, submit this within 10 days.
• Hearing request — If none of those resolve it, request a formal hearing within 30 days of the determination date.

What If an Employer Didn't Report Your Wages

This happens more often than people expect — especially when you worked for a company that's since closed, or when a staffing agency reported under a different name. If your monetary determination shows a quarter with $0 when you know you worked, gather every piece of documentation you can: W-2s, final pay stubs, bank deposit records showing payroll, even your own tax return showing the reported income. Submit all of it with Form TC403HR.

NYSDOL will investigate and adjust the determination if the evidence supports it. If the employer can't be reached or doesn't respond, your documentation becomes the primary record.

Practical Tip: Run the Numbers Before You File

Before submitting your claim, add up your quarterly earnings over the last five completed quarters. Identify your high quarter and total. If you're close to the $3,500 high-quarter threshold or the 1.5x multiplier, the timing of your filing might affect which base period NYSDOL uses — and whether you qualify at all.

If you want a structured breakdown of the full filing process including base period worksheets, the New York Unemployment Claims Guide walks through every step from eligibility through weekly certification and beyond.

See more New York guides →