These Maps Will Tell You Exactly How Much Unemployment Your State Is Paying
Depending on which unemployment program you’re on and where you live, you can expect about $490 to $800 per week from jobless benefits, according to a new analysis of unemployment benefits data conducted by The Penny Hoarder.
That won’t change under the new stimulus bill.
Use the maps below to estimate how much your state pays in weekly unemployment benefits. The new stimulus bill extends extra unemployment benefits until Sept. 6.
A State-by-State Breakdown of Unemployment Benefits
Unemployment Insurance (UI) is a longstanding jobless benefits program run by state unemployment agencies. Refer to these estimated weekly figures if you are on a state-level UI program or any of the unemployment extension programs, including the federal extension known as Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation (PEUC).
Weekly payment amounts vary widely by state — and may even vary person-to-person within your own state. The information in the map is an estimate based on a state-by-state average of weekly UI payments, which is compiled by the Department of Labor.
Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Boost Under the American Rescue Plan
Pandemic Unemployment Assistance is a new federal unemployment program established by the first stimulus package. If you’re a gig worker, freelancer or independent contractor, you’re likely to receive benefits through this program.
The Department of Labor does not compile payment data for PUA as it does for Unemployment Insurance programs. However, the stimulus law states that as a PUA recipient, you’re entitled to a minimum weekly benefit amount that’s equal to half your state’s average UI payment. This map uses the same data from the DOL as the first map, and estimates payments based on half of each state’s average UI payment.
So, the estimated amount is the minimum PUA payment plus $300 from the federal government.
Trouble navigating all those jobless programs? Use our plain English guide to unemployment benefits to get the aid you need.
Adam Hardy is a former staff writer at The Penny Hoarder.
