Introduction
Unlike programs such as Social Security and Medicare, unemployment benefits change across state lines. Unemployment is defined as working age adults who are without employment and are able and actively seeking work. Likewise, the unemployment rate is the percentage of the working force that is unemployed. Persons who are not employed and not seeking work are not included in the definition of unemployment or the unemployment rate.
Unemployment benefits are paid out to qualified persons for a set amount of time; the amount to be paid by the state is typically a percentage of the unemployed person’s salary before termination. When comparing unemployment benefits by state, it is important to note there are two components: length of benefits and amount paid (typically expressed as the average across the state). All but nine states (Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Michigan, Missouri, North Carolina, and South Carolina) allow claimants to receive unemployment benefits for twenty-six weeks or more.
Learn for yourself how the unemployment benefits differ by state by scrolling the data in the charts.
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