Unemployment benefits: Which states give the highest amounts and why?
Unemployed workers are eligible for certain weekly benefits in the US but they vary from state to state. Here are the states that award the highest amounts.
In the United States, people who are unemployed may be eligible to receive unemployment benefits of hundreds of dollars each week for several weeks, depending on each state and contributions made to the Unemployment Insurance program.
Generally, Unemployment Insurance programs offer temporary benefit payments to people who are unemployed through no fault of their own. Here are the states that grant the highest amounts.
Unemployment benefits: Which states give the highest amounts and why?
The amount sent each week varies from state to state. Each entity uses a different calculation to determine unemployment benefits. Each sets the payroll tax rate that funds unemployment insurance, along with minimum and maximum payment amounts, the length of time you can get benefits, and eligibility requirements.
In the USA, Massachusetts, Washington and Minnesota are the states with the best payments, since the maximum amount is $1,015, $999 and $857, respectively. Here is a list of weekly unemployment benefits in each state and the District of Columbia:
- Alabama: $45 to $275 for 14 weeks or a maximum of 20 weeks if the unemployment rate increases
- Alaska: $56 to $370 for 16 to 26 weeks
- Arizona: $200 to $320 for up to 24 weeks
- Arkansas: $81 to $451 for up to 26 weeks
- California: $40 to $450 for up to 26 weeks
- Colorado: $25 to $745 for up to 26 weeks
- Connecticut: $18-$703, plus $15-$75 per dependent, up to 26 weeks
- Delaware: $20 to $400 for up to 26 weeks
- District of Columbia: $50 to $444 for up to 26 weeks
- Florida: $32 to $275 for up to 19 weeks
- Georgia: $55 to $365 from 14 weeks to 26 weeks
- Hawaii: up to $695 for 26 weeks
- Idaho: $72 to $499 for 26 weeks
- Illinois: up to $484 for 26 weeks
- Indiana: up to $390 for 26 weeks
- Iowa: $87 to $591, plus a dependent amount, for 26 weeks
- Kansas: $135 to $540 for 16 weeks
- Kentucky: $39 to $626 for 26 weeks
- Louisiana: up to $275 for 26 weeks
- Maine: $89 to $538 for 26 weeks
- Maryland: $50 to $430 for 26 weeks
- Massachusetts: up to $1,015 for 26 weeks
- Michigan: up to $362 for 20 weeks
- Minnesota: up to $857 for 26 weeks
- Mississippi: $30 to $235 for 26 weeks
- Missouri: $35 to $320 for 20 weeks
- Montana: $163 to $552 for 28 weeks
- Nebraska: up to $456 for 26 weeks
- Nevada: $16 to $469 for 26 weeks
- New Jersey: up to 830 for 26 weeks
- New York: $124 to $504 for 26 weeks
- New Hampshire: $32 to $427 for 26 weeks
- New Mexico: $96 to $514 for 26 weeks
- North Carolina: $15 to $350 for 12 weeks
- North Dakota: $43 to $673 for 12 to 26 weeks
- Ohio: $134 to $480 for 26 weeks
- Oklahoma: $16 to $539 for 26 weeks
- Oregon: $151 to $648 for 26 weeks
- Pennsylvania: Half your full-time weekly salary with a maximum of $572 for 26 weeks
- Rhode Island: $62 to $680 for 26 weeks
- South Carolina: $42 to $326 for 20 weeks
- South Dakota: $82 to $487 for up to 26 weeks
- Tennessee: $30 to $275 for 26 weeks
- Texas: $72 to $563 for 26 weeks
- Utah: Maximum of $580 for 26 weeks
- Vermont: Maximum of $531 for 26 weeks
- Virginia: $60 to $378 for 26 weeks
- West Virginia: $24 to $630 for 26 weeks
- Washington: up to $999 for 26 weeks
- Wisconsin: $54 to $370 for 26 weeks
- Wyoming: $40 to $560 for 26 weeks
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