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Eligibility for Unemployment Insurance Benefits

You must meet specific requirements for wages earned or time worked during an established period of time, be determined to be unemployed through no fault of your own (determined under state law) and meet other eligibility requirements to qualify for Unemployment Insurance benefits.  

Are there wage requirements associated with my eligibility for benefits?

Whether you receive Unemployment Insurance benefits and how much you're entitled to each week depends on how much you earned during your base period. All states have similar wage requirements which are determined by the laws in each state. To qualify for benefits in Arizona, you must have worked for an employer who paid unemployment tax and you must have earned:

  • At least 390 times the Arizona minimum wage in your highest earning quarter and the total of the other three quarters must equal at least one half of the amount in your high quarter. (For example, if you made $6,000 in your highest quarter you need to have earned a total of $3,000 within the remaining three quarters combined),
  • Or at least $8,000 in total wages in at least two quarters of the base period, with wages in one quarter equal to $7,987.50 or more.

I received my Monetary Determination and it's incorrect, what do I do?

You should immediately file a Wage Protest. Detailed information about the Monetary Determination and how to file a Wage Protest may be viewed here. Remember-even if the wages on your Monetary Determination are missing or incorrect, you must file (and continue to file) weekly claims while the wage investigation is in progress after you file your Wage Protest.

If your Monetary Determination is accurate (all of the wages are correct) and you do not qualify for benefits; meaning, you do not meet the earnings requirements as shown above, you must wait until the current quarter changes to complete another claim application. Note: this is only if you had employment that was after the base period shown on the Monetary Determination you received.

What if I worked in Arizona and also in another state?

If you have Arizona wages and also worked in another state, or currently reside in Arizona and have earnings from employers in two or more other states (within the base period), you may choose to combine these wages to establish monetary eligibility. If you were employed in more than one state at any time during the current base period, you may have the option of:

  • Filing a claim against any state in which you were employed using only the wages from that state, or
  • Filing a claim against any state in which you were employed, using the wages from all states in which you earned wages.

State unemployment laws, weekly benefit amounts and eligibility requirements vary between states. Which option is best for you will depend upon the laws in each state where you worked. Links to Web sites in other states may be found on the Service Locator Web site. If all of your employment during the base period was in a state other than Arizona, you must file a claim against that state.

How much will my weekly benefit amount be?

Your weekly Unemployment Insurance Benefit Amount (WBA) is calculated on wages you earned from employers who paid Unemployment Tax to the State of Arizona. The WBA is 4% of the wages paid in the highest quarter of your base period. The current maximum WBA is $320.

What should I do if I've recently left military service?

Your eligibility for Unemployment Insurance is based on the reason for separation from active service in the armed forces or the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). You will need to provide information from your Service Member Copy No. 4 of form DD-214. The state where you first file a claim after leaving the military or NOAA determines eligibility for benefits under the UI laws of that state. If you need to request a copy of your DD-214, visit the Veterans Service Records Web page.

What does being unemployed through no fault of my own mean?

To qualify for UI benefits, you must be out of work through no fault of your own. Workers who are laid off for economic reasons due to a plant closing, a reduction-in-force, or because of lack of work, for example -- are considered to be unemployed through no fault of their own. If your reason for separation from your last job is due to some reason, a determination will be made about whether or not you are eligible for benefits. All determinations of whether or not a person is eligible for benefits are made by the appropriate Arizona Revised Statute, Administrative Code or applicable federal laws.

Why do I have to report my vacation, sick, holiday and severance pay?

Under certain conditions, severance, vacation, holiday or sick pay may be allocated to a period of time in which UI benefits are claimed. You are not eligible to receive benefits for any week in which allocated severance, vacation, holiday or sick pay exceeds your weekly benefit amount. If the payments are less than your weekly benefit amount, they will be deducted as earnings. You must report severance, vacation, holiday or sick pay when you file your initial application for benefits. If you receive any such payments after you file your initial application, you should immediately contact the AZ Unemployment Insurance Call Center.

Are there other issues that can affect my eligibility for benefits?

Yes, the following list shows examples of issues that could affect your eligibility and prevent you from receiving benefit payments (note that the list is not all inclusive):

  • Illness or injury;
  • School attendance;
  • Failure to look for work;
  • Being out of the area;
  • Not being willing or ready to accept work;
  • Failure to report to a scheduled Re-employment Services Orientation;
  • Failure to return UI claim-related documents within specified time frames;
  • Refusing or not responding to a referral to suitable work by DES Employment Service;
  • Refusing a genuine offer of suitable work without good cause;
  • Retirement pay (other than Social Security);
  • Severance Pay; and
  • Vacation or holiday pay if allocated to a period during which benefits are claimed.

What do I do if I receive a Determination of Eligibility saying that I'm disqualified or that my benefits are denied (for reasons other than why you left your last employment)?

If you are disqualified/denied benefits, you have the right to file an appeal. You must file your appeal within an established time frame. Your employer may also appeal a determination if he/she does not agree with the determination regarding your eligibility.

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