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Calculate your own unemployment benefits check.
How much unemployment benefits you get depends on the State you live in and the income you received in your two highest earning quarters of your last year. Not sure what a base year or a high earning quarter is? This article will explain what those and other Employment Security Department jargon words mean and help you check your own benefit entitlements.
State Maximums and Minimums
First, your unemployment benefit maximums and minimums are set by State law. For example, states like Massachusetts offer a maximum of $942 a week, Rhode Island $660 and Connecticut $594. On the other end of the scale you have Florida and Tennessee with $275 and Mississippi with $230 a week. Bare in mind these reflect maximum amounts. You could get $942 a week in Massachusetts, but as you will see, for that to happen you need to have declared a large income the previous year.
In Washington State the maximum weekly benefits check is $5 70 and the minimum is $135.
However these figures have a habit of changing depending on the going State stimulus package and Employment Security Department’s ever changing guidelines.
Calculator Time
To calculate your weekly benefits in Washington State follow these instructions.
1) Work out what your base year is. Your base is year is the first four quarters of your last five quarters. So if you file for unemployment on April the 1st, 2010, the last five quarters would start 15 months earlier on January 2009 and your base year would go from January 2008 January 2010. If you still are unsure of what a quarter is check step 2.
2) Find out which were your top two paying quarters. A quarter is a three-month period starting with the January to March quarter. The second quarter is April to June, the third July to September and the fourth October to December.
3) Add the total income you earned in your top paying quarters.
4) Divide your total income for your two top-paying quarters by two.
5) Multiply by 0.0385
The result is your estimated weekly check.
Remember though, to qualify for unemployment benefits you must have worked at least 680 hours and lost your job through no fault of your your own. To remain eligible for your weekly unemployment compensation payments you must be fit and willing to start full time work immediately, actively search for work and file your weekly claims with the Washington Employment Security Department.
However, there are some exceptions. For instance, if you leave work voluntarily to protect yourself or your family from domestic violence or stalking or because your spouse is transferred, you may still be able to claim for benefits.
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