UI Eligibility

Am I Eligible to Receive UI Benefits?

In general, unemployment insurance benefits are paid to eligible workers who:

• have earned qualifying wages,
• are unemployed through no fault of their own,
• are able and available to work full-time and
• are actively seeking full-time work.

What Earnings Do I Need to Qualify?

To qualify for benefits, you must have earned at least $2900 during your Base Period. Additionally, your total base period earnings must be at least 1 ½ times the highest quarter of wages during your base period.

If you do not have 1 ½ times your high quarter wages in your base period, you may qualify by documenting 20 weeks of employment during the base period with earnings of at least $145 in each week.

What Other Eligibility Requirements Are There?

In addition to having sufficient earnings, you must meet additional eligibility requirements to be eligible for UI benefits. Some examples of issues that may affect eligibility for UI benefits include:

• Reason for job separation
• Ability and availability to work full-time
• Actively seeking full-time work
• Proper weekly claim filing
• School attendance
• Strike or labor disputes
• Self employment or corporate officers
• Alien status
• Refusal of a job offer
• Illness or injury
• School employee
• Professional athlete

More detail on UI eligibility requirements can be found in the Claimant Guide.