Unemployment Compensation
Max Weekly Benefit Amt.
Max Weeks of Benefits
Max Benefit Amount
Unemployment Compensation
The Department of Workforce Services determines benefit amounts according to the gross earned wages that were covered by Unemployment Insurance Tax paid by your employer(s) during your time of employment that makes up your Base Period. Your base period is the first four of the last five calendar quarters from the date you filed an initial claim for unemployment insurance benefits.
As an employee, you are not required to pay into the Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund.
When you meet all of the requirements and are found to be eligible, you will receive a Weekly Benefit Amount. You will be notified of your Weekly Benefit Amount in your Notice of Monetary Determination letter, along with other weekly work search requirements in order to continue to claim Unemployment Insurance.
Your eligibility or disqualification is determined by the Department of Workforce Services Law each week you claim benefits. You must continue to meet all eligibility requirements for the duration of your open claim.
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Calculating Arkansas Unemployment Benefit Amounts
Determine Your Weekly Benefit Amount
Your Weekly Benefit Amount (WBA) is determined based on your wages earned during your Base Period, which is the 12-month period prior to the calendar quarter in which you submit an Unemployment application. Here are the minimum and maximum WBA you can receive in unemployment benefits in Arkansas:
- Minimum Weekly Benefit Amount: $81.00
- Maximum Weekly Benefit Amount: $451.00
View the WBA chart here.
Your WBA remains the same for the life of the claim. Returning to work will not increase your WBA because if you need to reopen a claim, determinations are still based on the original wages used to file.
A new WBA is only generated after your Benefit Year expires and you start a new claim that generates another Benefit Year. Remember that your Benefit Year begins the first day of the quarter month in which you submit your application to collect Unemployment Insurance Benefits.
Determine Your Maximum Benefit Amount (MBA)
The maximum amount you can collect during a Benefit Year is 20 times your determined WBA, or approximately one-third of your covered Base Period earned wages. The Maximum WBA is $451 or $9,020 over the life of a claim.
Example: If your WBA is $200.00, the Maximum Benefit Amount you can collect during your Benefit Year is $4000.00