What is the maximum amount of unemployment benefits I may receive?

Unemployment compensation varies widely from state to state across the US. It typically does not cover a full paycheck that a worker received prior to losing their job. Unemployment insurance covers about 45 percent of an individual's income, the national average is less than $500 per week.

Some states are much more generous like Massachusetts where an individual can receive over $800 a week and up to $1,234 with dependents according to Saving to Invest. At the bottom of the states is Mississippi where a worker can get at most $235 per week. Prior to the covid-19 pandemic, most states provided unemployment compensation for 26 weeks but those out of work in Florida could expect at most 12 weeks.

The American Rescue Plan Act provides extra unemployment compensation

Since early in the start of the coronavirus pandemic Americans have been able to take advantage of expanded aid when they lost their job. Under the CARES Act, American workers who were laid off could receive a $600 boost to their regular weekly unemployment checks. However, with the extension of covid-19 relief in December that amount was lowered to $300. That same amount was included in the final version of the American Rescue Plan Act enacted in March.

The American Rescue Plan Act also continued federal pandemic unemployment programs created last year with the CARES Act. Through the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) program, the self-employed, gig workers and others who normally don’t qualify for jobless aid can receive unemployment assistance. The Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC) continues payments to those who had exhausted their state unemployment. And Mixed-Earner Unemployment Compensation provides an extra $100 per week for those whose income is a mix of self-employed, 1099 income, and wages paid by their employer, W-2 income.

Those who have been put out of work can now receive up to 79 weeks of jobless aid. The federal pandemic unemployment programs are set to expire 6 September.

How long does it take to start receiving unemployment benefits?

If an unemployment claim is filed correctly, states can typically send out the first payment within two or three weeks according to the federal Department of Labor's website. However, in some states, there is a waiting period between the time you become unemployed and when you are eligible for benefits.

Some states have been struggling to keep up with the demand placed on their systems by the abnormally high number of applicants. As well they have had to update their systems to conform to the new federal programs and avoid criminals filing fraudulent claims. Scammers siphoned off more than $36 billion in pandemic relief intended for needy Americans last year. Unemployment still remains stubbornly high with over 9 million jobs less than before the pandemic struck.

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