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United States: Unemployment Insurance

Unemployment insurance is a federal-state policy—federal rules determine what types of employment are covered by unemployment insurance and establish broad eligibility requirements. States, however, have wide discretion in setting specific eligibility criteria as well as benefit levels, and these decisions vary widely across the states. [More detail...]

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National Participant & Spending Data

Participants

Number of recipients

Number of first payments18.3 million first payments (2004)2

Benefit coverage

Recipiency rate337% (2004)

Spending

Total spending

Total spending on benefits (state)4$34.1 billion (2004)2

Spending per recipient

Average weekly benefit4$263/week (2004)
Average total benefit5$4,100/benefit year (2004)
Replacement rate636.0% (2004)

Average duration of benefits

Average number of weeks received416.2 weeks (2004)
Average potential duration of benefits722.6 weeks (2004)
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Data Notes and Sources

Data on Unemployment Insurance were compiled by NCCP in August 2005. Some state policy decisions may have changed since these data were collected.

  1. A "first payment" refers to the first week of unemployment benefits paid to a claimant in a benefit year.
    U.S. Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration, "State Benefits Data - 4th Quarter 2004," http://workforcesecurity.doleta.gov (accessed July 18, 2005).
  2. Figure reflects total for the 50 states and the District of Columbia; other nonstate territories not included.
  3. Figure reflects the number of claims (some of which are rejected) in the state's regular unemployment insurance program divided by the number of unemployed.
    U.S. Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration, "State Financial Data - 4th Quarter 2004," http://workforcesecurity.doleta.gov (accessed July 18, 2005).
  4. U.S. Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration, "State Benefits Data - 4th Quarter 2004," http://workforcesecurity.doleta.gov (accessed July 18, 2005).
  5. Figure reflects total spending on benefits divided by number of first payments.
    U.S. Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration, "State Benefits Data - 4th Quarter 2004," http://workforcesecurity.doleta.gov (accessed July 18, 2005).
  6. Figure reflects average weekly benefit divided by the average weekly wage of workers covered by unemployment insurance.
    U.S. Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration, "State Benefits Data - 4th Quarter 2004," http://workforcesecurity.doleta.gov (accessed July 18, 2005). and U.S. Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration, "State Financial Data - 4th Quarter 2004," http://workforcesecurity.doleta.gov (accessed July 18, 2005).
  7. Subri Raman, U.S. Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration, personal email (received July 11, 2005).