Unemployment Benefits Compensation
Unemployment benefits are temporary, short-term income for unemployed workers who are unemployed by no fault of their own. They also need to be either searching for another position, being recalled to their job within six weeks from the last day worked, or in approved job training. Employer taxes fund UI benefits and no unemployment funds are collected from workers.
Registration for Employment Services (ES) is mandatory to receive UI benefits, unless exempt. Employ Georgia is the official online method of registration with the GDOL. You must create at least one searchable resume and your account must include your Social Security Number in order to meet the UI benefits requirements. Here is a link to the Employ Georgia website: http://employgeorgia.com/.
If your account does not currently include your Social Security Number, you must report to your local career center to make the change. Otherwise, you can make all other changes online. Your UI benefits will be suspended or denied if this requirement is not satisfied in a timely manner.
Max Weekly Benefit Amt.
Max Weeks of Benefits
Max Benefit Amount
Calculating Georgia Unemployment Benefit Amounts
Determine Your Weekly Benefit Amount (WBA)
In Georgia, the weekly unemployment benefit amount is calculated by dividing the wages earned in the highest two quarters of the base period by 42.
The base period is the time period unemployment looks at to determine whether you’ve earned enough wages and been paid enough to establish an unemployment claim. In Georgia, the base period is the first four of the last five calendar quarters completed at the time you file your claim. An alternative base period, consisting of the most recently completed four calendar quarters, will be used only if a claim cannot be established using the regular base period.
Determine Your Maximum Benefit Amount (MBA)
Effective July 1, 2007, the minimum amount of unemployment benefits you can receive in a week was $44.00 per week. The maximum weekly unemployment benefit amount is $330.00 for claims filed on or after July 1, 2008. The amount an individual will receive is based on the amount of earned wages in the claimant’s base period.
You may be able to draw unemployment benefits if you quit your previous job as long as you can demonstrate that you left or quit for a legitimate work-connected reason such as material changes in the working conditions, changes in the employment agreement, nonpayment of wages, or similar reasons. If your reason for quitting was personal, you will not be able to collect benefits even if the reason is a compelling one. The only way to know for sure whether you are eligible if you quit is to file a claim. The department cannot make a predetermination of eligibility before a claim is filed.