Open New Claim for Unemployment
As part of the coronavirus stimulus package, the unemployment benefits have increased. Now that the bill has passed, you can get a $600 bonus up to 13 weeks on your unemployment claim. This is an additional bonus. So if you’re already receiving unemployment benefits, you can get up to $600 in addition as part of the CARES Act.
This is a historic boost to unemployment claims. Given the whole CARES Act includes $2 trillion in total, it is no surprise that millions of Americans who are claiming unemployment will benefit from this. To claim the extra $600 in unemployment benefit, you don’t necessarily need anything. It will be automatically effective if you’re getting unemployment from your state.
But the unemployment boost will not fully replace the lost wages of most higher-paid workers. Since the unemployment benefits range mostly from $250 to $550 a week depending on the state, that extra $600 is definitely going to be helpful.
Claim Unemployment Insurance Here
How to claim unemployment?
First and foremost, every state has its own eligibility requirements for claiming unemployment. But for the most, you need to be unemployed through no fault of your own, meaning if you quit your job, you cannot claim unemployment. So your unemployment must occur due to a lack of available work.
Related Article: $1,200 Stimulus Check
You can apply for unemployment in the state where you worked. However, if you worked in a state other than the one where you live, you should contact the state unemployment insurance agency in your state of residency to learn the details. Generally, the process is a bit different in these situations.
Maximum Benefit Amount by Each State
| State | Maximum Weekly Benefit Amount |
| Alabama | $275 + $600 |
| Alaska | $442 + $600 |
| Arizona | $240 + $600 |
| Arkansas | $451 + $600 |
| California | $450 + $600 |
| Colorado | $618 + $600 |
| Connecticut | $649 + $600 |
| Delaware | $400 + $600 |
| District of Columbia | $444 + $600 |
| Florida | $275 + $600 |
| Georgia | $365 + $600 |
| Hawaii | $648 + $600 |
| Idaho | $448 + $600 |
| Illinois | $667 + $600 |
| Indiana | $390 + $600 |
| Iowa | $481 + $600 |
| Kansas | $488 + $600 |
| Kentucky | $552 + $600 |
| Louisiana | $247+ $600 |
| Maine | $667 + $600 |
| Maryland | $430 + $600 |
| Massachusetts | $430 + $600 |
| Michigan | $362 + $600 |
| Minnesota | $749 + $600 |
| Mississippi | $235 + $600 |
| Missouri | $320 + $600 |
| Montana | $552 + $600 |
| Nebraska | $440 + $600 |
| Nevada | $469 + $600 |
| New Hampshire | $427 + $600 |
| New Jersey | $713 + $600 |
| New Mexico | $511 + $600 |
| New York | $504 + $600 |
| North Carolina | $350 + $600 |
| North Dakota | $618 + $600 |
| Ohio | $647 + $600 |
| Oklahoma | $539 + $600 |
| Oregon | $648 + $600 |
| Pennsylvania | $580 + $600 |
| Rhode Island | $580 + $600 |
| South Carolina | $326 + $600 |
| South Dakota | $414 + $600 |
| Tennessee | $275 + $600 |
| Texas | $521 + $600 |
| Utah | $580 + $600 |
| Vermont | $513 + $600 |
| Virginia | $378 + $600 |
| Washington | $790 + $600 |
| West Virginia | $424 + $600 |
| Wisconsin | $370 + $600 |
| Wyoming | $508 + $600 |
The Department of Labor also brought some flexibility to pay benefits due to the COVID-19 pandemic. If an employer ceases operations due to coronavirus, preventing employees to work, quarantining with the expectation of returning back to work or leaving employment due to risk of getting infected or to care for a family member all included in claiming unemployment benefits.
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