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Unless, you have made some private insurance, you will rely on the Federal-State Unemployment Insurance Program to provides unemployment benefits. These benefits can be obtained by eligible workers who are unemployed through no fault of their own (as determined under State law), and meet other eligibility requirements of State law. The unemployment insurance payments (benefits) are intended to provide temporary financial assistance to unemployed workers who meet the requirements of State law.

Each State administers a separate unemployment insurance program within guidelines established by Federal law. Eligibility for unemployment insurance, benefit amounts and the length of time benefits are available are determined by the State law under which unemployment insurance claims are established. In the majority of States, benefit funding is based solely on a tax imposed on employers. (Three (3) States require minimal employee contributions.)

Source: U.S. Department of Labor

The Basis for Unemployment Benefits and the Length of Payments

	In general, benefits are based on a percentage of an individual's earnings over a recent 52-week period - up to a State maximum amount.
	Benefits can be paid for a maximum of 26 weeks in most States
	Additional weeks of benefits may be available during times of high unemployment. Some States provide additional benefits for specific purposes. Extended Benefits are available to workers who have exhausted regular unemployment insurance benefits during periods of high unemployment. The basic Extended Benefits program provides up to 13 additional weeks of benefits, when a State is experiencing high unemployment. Some States have also enacted a voluntary program to pay up to 7 additional weeks (20 weeks maximum) of Extended Benefits during periods of extremely high unemployment
	Benefits are subject to Federal income taxes and must be reported on your Federal income tax return. You may elect to have the tax withheld by the State Unemployment Insurance agency.

Eligibility

You must meet the State requirements for wages earned or time worked during an established period of time referred to as a "base period". (In most States, this is usually the first four out of the last five completed calendar quarters prior to the time that your claim is filed.) You must be determined to be unemployed through no fault of your own (determined under State law), and meet other eligibility requirments of State law.

Maximum Weekly Unemployment Benefits by State

All figures are as of Jan. 1, 2008, and may have since changed.
(2009 figures will, depending on the State, be marginally higher!)

In reporting to the Department of Labor, these states included allowances for dependents in their calculations.

Source: U.S. Department of Labor

How to File a Claim

You should contact the State Unemployment Insurance agency as soon as possible after becoming unemployed. In some States, you can now file a claim by telephone or over the Internet. (Click on the Link)

When you file a claim, you will be asked for certain information, such as addresses and dates of your former employment. To make sure your claim is not delayed, be sure to give complete and correct information.

Generally, you should file your claim with the state where you worked. If you worked in a state other than the one where you now live or, if you worked in multiple states, the state UI agency, where you now live, can provide information about how to file your claim with other states. You may click on the link above to find contact information for all states.

It generally takes two to three weeks after you file your claim to receive your first benefit check. Some States require a one-week waiting period; therefore, in those States, the second week claimed is the first week of payment, if you are otherwise eligible.

Source: U.S. Department of Labor