Sources & Method

What We Verify vs. What Varies

The process of filing, certifying, and appealing is similar across states, and that is what our articles describe in depth. The exact dollar amounts, week counts, and deadlines are set by each state and change over time. We display benefit figures sourced from official state agency publications and U.S. Department of Labor data tables — but we also flag where figures are pending re-verification against the most current state publications. Always confirm the specific number with your state agency before filing.

Federal Sources We Cite

• CareerOneStop (U.S. Dept. of Labor) — official directory to find your state's unemployment office: https://www.careeronestop.org/LocalHelp/UnemploymentBenefits/find-unemployment-benefits.aspx
• U.S. Department of Labor — UI Overview: https://www.dol.gov/general/topic/unemployment-insurance
• DOL Unemployment Insurance State Laws Data: https://oui.doleta.gov/unemploy/statelaws.asp

Federal Laws Referenced

• WARN Act — Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act, 29 U.S.C. §§ 2101–2109. Requires 60-day advance notice for mass layoffs of 50+ employees.
• ADEA — Age Discrimination in Employment Act, 29 U.S.C. § 621 et seq. Provides the 21-day review / 7-day revocation period for severance waivers by workers age 40+.
• COBRA — Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act, 29 U.S.C. § 1161 et seq. Provides the 60-day election window for continued health coverage after a qualifying event.

State Agency Links

Each state page links to that state's unemployment agency. These links are compiled from official state agency domains and are reviewed at publication. A small number may be out of date if an agency has since redesigned its site. If a link on this site is broken or outdated, please report it on our contact page and we will fix it — or use the CareerOneStop finder above, which is always current.

Benefit Data Confidence

Maximum and minimum weekly benefit figures are sourced from the U.S. Department of Labor's Significant Provisions of State Unemployment Insurance Laws, effective January 1, 2026 — the federal government's official reference table. Where a state provides a dependents' allowance, we show the base maximum (without dependents), since that is the figure that applies to most single filers. Duration, waiting week, and work-search requirements are compiled from the same DOL reference and state agency publications.

These figures can change when state legislatures amend their UI statutes, and some states adjust benefit duration dynamically based on the current unemployment rate. Dependents' allowances, combined-wage claims, and other program-specific rules can change your actual amount. Always confirm the exact current figure on your state agency's website before you file.

What We Will Not Do

• We do not fabricate phone numbers, addresses, or legal citations.
• We do not treat blog posts, forums, or unofficial sites as a source for procedural claims.
• We do not fill a gap with a guess when we are not confident in the answer.
• We do not claim a figure is current when it may have changed since our last review.

Corrections Policy

If you find an outdated number, a broken agency link, or a factual error, please tell us through our contact page. We treat corrections as a priority. If a state changes its benefit amounts or rules and we have not yet updated, your report directly triggers a review.