Unemployment Benefits Compensation

You must have earned enough wages in your base period to be monetarily eligible for unemployment benefits. In Montana, the base period is the first four of the last five completed calendar quarters before you filed your benefits claim. If you are not eligible on a regular base period, unemployment insurance is required to use an Alternate Base Period (ABP), which is the last four completed quarters. The maximum Weekly Benefit amount is $510 and the minimum is $151 for 28 weeks. You can estimate how much your benefit amounts might be, but the best way to find out how much unemployment benefits you qualify for is to file for unemployment with accurate and true information.

Calculating Montana Unemployment Benefit Amounts

Determine Your Weekly Benefit Amount

In Montana, your Weekly Benefit Amount (WBA) will be the lesser sum of one of two formulas:

• 1 percent of your total wages from your base period

OR

• 1.9 percent of your two highest-earning quarters

Determine Your Maximum Benefit Amount

You can receive unemployment benefits in Montana for up to 28 weeks in one calendar year. Multiply your WBA by 28 to estimate your total Maximum Benefit Amount (MBA).