Am I Eligible for Unemployment Benefits?

To qualify for unemployment benefits in State, you must meet a minimum earnings requirement and you must be unemployed through no fault of your own.

Not everyone who is out of work qualifies for unemployment compensation. Benefits are intended only for those who are temporarily out of work, through no fault of their own. To be eligible, you'll need to meet two basic requirements:

• You must have earned a minimum amount, worked a minimum amount of time, or both before you became unemployed. 
• You must not be at fault in losing or leaving your job. 

Each state sets its own earnings requirements and has its own rules on eligibility for those who quit their jobs or were fired for misconduct. To find out your state's rules, select it from the list below. 

You may also be interested in:

• How Do I Apply for Unemployment Benefits?

  Find out where you need to go to apply for unemployment benefits in your state and how to get help with the application process.

• COVID-19 and Unemployment Benefits FAQ

  Get answers to common questions about new unemployment programs for those who have lost work due to COVID-19.

• How the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act Affects Unemployment Benefits

  The coronavirus stimulus bill expands eligibility and increases benefits for State workers.

About Lisa Guerin

Lisa Guerin has covered employment law topics for Legal Consumer since 2014. After getting her law degree from Berkeley Law, she worked in government, public interest, and private practice, specializing in employment law. She was a legal editor and author at Nolo for many years, where she wrote or contributed to more than a dozen books, mostly on employment issues. She volunteers with groups that help shelter and rescue dogs, and she enjoys hiking with her own Very Good Boy in the San Francisco Bay Area.